Shifts of Fortune
by InfinityStar
Summary: A friendship forged in adversity comes to call, looking for help when things go terribly wrong. This takes place seven months after Fate Intervenes. Complete.
1. A Call For Help

**Zephyrs asked for another story with Steve from Fate Intervenes, so here it is :-)**

* * *

_**The shifts of fortune test the reliability of friends.  
---Cicero**_

_**It's the friends you can call at four a.m. that matter.  
---Marlene Dietrich**_

Bobby Goren stirred restlessly in his sleep. She wasn't there and he could tell. He always knew when she spent the night at her place and he was alone, and he never slept well when she wasn't there. She had spent the day with her nephew and his parents while he went to visit his mother. He respected her need for time away; he understood how intense he could be. He always respected her needs, even above his own. He shifted again, settling into a light sleep right at the edge of wakefulness. So when the phone rang, it didn't take more than one ring to rouse him and two for him to answer. Out of habit, he glanced at the clock as he grabbed the phone. Just after three. _Crap_...

"Goren," he muttered into the phone.

_Bobby?_

The voice sounded familiar... "Uh, who is this?"

_Steve Cavanaugh. I'm really sorry to bother you like this, but I need your help._

"At three o'clock on a Sunday morning?"

_Yeah. I know. But I had no idea who else to call. I, uh..._ He sighed. _Could you come and get me, man?_

Goren sat up and ran a hand over his hair. "Okay, yeah, sure. Where are you?"

_Um, according to the lifeguard stand over there, I'm in Wildwood._

"New Jersey?"

_Yeah, on the beach. Something really...bad must have happened._

"Why do you say that?"

_I...I have no idea how I got here, Bobby. I don't know where Kelsey is and...and I think this is blood...all over my clothes._

"Blood?"

_I think so. I-I don't know what happened...and I'm really scared here._

"All right. Hang tight. I'll be there as soon as I can."

_Thanks, man._

He hung up the phone. The kid sounded terrified. He dialed his partner's number. _This better be good, Goren._

"Did you have a good day?"

_Bobby, if you called me at three in the morning to see how my day went, I swear you'll regret it._

He laughed softly. "Um, would you like to go see the sun rise?"

_What? Goren, have you lost your mind? Why can't you call Logan once in awhile when you can't sleep?_

"I do, but something tells me he wouldn't want to go down to the ocean and watch the sun rise with me." She didn't respond. "Eames?"

_I'm trying to decide whether to be mad at you or not. Are you serious?_

"About going to the ocean? Yes. Seeing the sun rise is just a fringe benefit. I, um, I got a call from a friend who's in trouble."

She sighed heavily. _Who?_

"Steve Cavanaugh."

She was silent. After what Steve had done for her partner in that subway tunnel seven months ago, there was no way either of them could turn their backs on him. _I'll be ready by the time you get here,_ she said. _And you better have coffee._

"Thanks, Alex."

-------------------------------------

They found him sitting on the beach, hugging his legs and shivering. Goren slipped off his jacket and draped it over his friend's shoulders. They sat down on either side of him in the sand. Steve pulled the jacket closer around his shoulders and shuddered. Goren leaned forward to look at Steve's face. "Tell us what you remember."

"We went to a party. Nothing huge. Maybe fifty or sixty people...2 kegs...you know."

"Where was the party?"

"I don't remember exactly..." He rubbed his forehead. "It was somewhere over on Vandam or Varick, near the Holland Tunnel. Everything from last night is just a blur. Maybe Kelsey can tell you more when we find her."

"Were there any drugs around?"

"Some. There was some X, coke, you know, the usual party drugs."

"What did you take?"

"Nothing. I was drinking...took a few hits off a joint... That's it. I swear."

"How much did you have to drink?"

There was no judgment, no accusation in his voice, and Steve relaxed a little. "I...I don't know for sure."

Goren patted his shoulder and nodded. "I've been there." Steve relaxed even more. Goren went on. "Maybe the joint was laced with something?"

"I don't know. It tasted fine."

"Still, we should probably get a tox screen done on you."

"I...I need to find Kelsey."

"Where was she the last time you saw her?"

"At the party."

"Did you call her?"

He nodded. "No answer."

"And you have no idea how you got here?"

"Not a clue. I woke up down there, near the surf. Look at my clothes, dude."

He opened the jacket and Goren leaned forward to look at his clothes. He was wearing jeans and a yellow t-shirt. The letters were bearly readable: _Jesus loves you. Everyone else thinks you're an idiot_. Goren choked back a chuckle. This kid had the best t-shirts. He studied the dark splotches that covered Steve's clothes, reaching out to touch the stains on his shirt. They were still wet and tacky. It sure looked and felt like blood. The first thing he did was examine Steve for an injury, but the only thing he found was a lump on the back of his head that had not broken the skin. It was not his blood, and that knot on his head would explain his confusion.

Goren sighed. "Show us where you woke up."

Steve got to his feet, pulling Goren's jacket tighter around his shoulders. He led them close to the water's edge, where the tide had not yet risen to obliterate the depression in the sand where he had woken. Goren noted two sets of tracks that led from the road and then back to it. Two people had carried Steve here and dropped him near the water's edge, hoping the tide would come in and the ocean would take care of him. He looked over at his partner, meeting her eyes and relaying his concern through his expression. She just nodded.

Goren squatted beside the depression, tilting his head and looking closer. "Eames."

She leaned over as he pulled his switchblade from his pocket. Sticking the tip in the sand, he flipped a folded piece of paper free from where Steve's body had worked it into the packed sand. Pulling a pen from his shirt pocket, he unfolded the paper. There was a phone number written on it along with the name Sharon. Goren looked up at Steve, who had leaned over to see what he had found and now shrugged. "I don't know anyone named Sharon."

"Maybe someone at the party gave this to you?"

"Could be. But I'm with Kelsey. I wouldn't have hit on someone else."

"Perhaps she was the one doing the hitting," Eames suggested.

"It's possible, but I don't remember."

Goren pointed to his jacket. "In the pocket, there are some plastic bags. Hand me one, please."

Steve did as he was asked and handed him an evidence bag. Eames looked amused. "Carrying evidence bags around now just for the heck of it?"

He smiled as he slid the paper into the bag and labeled it. Standing, he handed the bag to her and looked up and down the beach. "Um, we ought to check the dunes."

"After you," she said. "Those dunes are full of snakes and crabs, and I'll just let you lead the way."

"You're not afraid of snakes, are you?"

"Afraid? No. But that doesn't mean I want them jumping out at me from the bushes."

He gave her an amused smile, then looked at Steve. "Wait here."

Steve nodded. He wasn't feeling very adventurous right now. He was still scared, cold, and very worried about his girlfriend.

Eames followed him down the beach toward the dunes. He slowed his pace and let her step to his side. With a soft smile, he nodded toward the ocean. "I promised you a sunrise."

"A sunrise over a potential crime scene. How romantic."

She waited as he breached the first dune, maybe as high as his shoulders. He reached the top and swore. "Call the paramedics, Eames. We just found Kelsey." He charged down the side of the dune as she pulled out her phone.

-------------------------------------------------

The ambulance pulled away from the beach, lights and sirens running. Eames walked over to her partner, who had removed himself from the scene once the paramedics had arrived and was looking out across the ocean in the early morning light. The sun was fully risen, and his clothes were now covered in Kelsey's blood. She touched the small of his back and he reached for her, pulling her into his arms and holding her. Quietly, she asked, "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I don't know."

"What made you check the dunes?"

"Just being thorough."

He looked over toward the dunes, where the local crime scene techs were combing the area. Eames sighed and patted his stomach. "The next time you want to be romantic, Goren, dinner and dancing works just fine for me."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. Releasing her, he headed for the parking area, where Steve sat in the back of a patrol car. Two local cops were talking to him. The senior of the two turned toward them as they approached. "So, tell me what brought two gold shields from Manhattan way down here to South Jersey in the middle of the night."

"Mr. Cavanaugh is a friend of ours," Eames explained. "He called us."

"What are you going to do with him, Sergeant?" Goren asked.

"At the moment, we have nothing to keep him on. So I'm going to release him to your custody. He lives in Manhattan?"

"Yes." Goren pulled out his wallet and removed his card, handing it to the sergeant. "Keep me informed and I'll do the same. Whatever happened, this is where it ended. The girl was injured somewhere else, and I'm guessing it was on our turf."

The sergeant nodded, handing his card and a clipboard to Goren, who signed to take Steve into his custody. Taking the clipboard back, he said, "You'll be hearing from me, Detective Goren."

"Likewise, Sergeant Rothman."

Rothman opened the back door of the cruiser. "All right, Mr. Cavanaugh. You are free to go with the detectives."

"Thank you."

Goren noted how pale and shaky Steve was. Probably in shock. He handed Steve the keys to the car. "There's a change of clothes in the back seat. Get changed and wait for us there. Go ahead and start the car and turn the heat on."

"Thanks, Bobby."

He trudged off toward Goren's SUV, pulling the too-large jacket tighter around his shoulders, grateful for the warmth it provided. He was still shaky and he felt sick to his stomach.

Eames watched him, her heart going out to the young man. "Your clothes are going to be huge on him."

"Not mine. Logan's. They won't be as big."

"Why do you have Logan's clothes?" she asked with a smile.

"He has a change of clothes at my place, and I have one at his. Just in case."

"In case of what?"

He grinned as he pulled out his phone. "Never mind." He pressed speed dial '3' and waited while it rang. Finally..._What the hell do you want, Goren?_

"Good morning, sunshine."

Fuck you.

Goren chuckled. "I have some detecting for you to do, Mike."

At seven o'clock on a Sunday morning?

"Yeah. I need you to head over to the neighborhood just south of Greenwich Village and see what you can find out about any parties that were held around there last night."

What? You want me to find out what parties were held around a couple of college campuses on a Saturday night? How hard did you hit your head?

"I didn't."

You have to be kidding me. Tell me this is a joke.

"Sorry...no joke. The party was held around Vandam and Varick down by the Holland Tunnel."

Logan huffed impatiently. _Mind if I ask what we're looking for?_

"Remember Kelsey and Steve, those two kids who were trapped with me by that subway explosion in March?"

Yeah.

"Someone hurt her badly and dumped her in the dunes by the ocean down in Wildwood. He has no idea what happened. Last thing he remembers they were at that party. I want to know what happened to Kelsey, where it happened and who did it."

Oh, is that all? No problem. You don't ask for much.

"Thanks, Mike."

You're buying dinner tonight.

"Let me know what you find."

Sure. How long you been up?

"Since three."

Is your partner with you?

"Yeah."

At least you called me at a decent hour. What are you gonna do?

"Right now, we're going to go to the hospital to see how Kelsey is and get Steve checked out."

You do know you're a pain in the ass, don't you?

"Yeah. My partner tells me that all the time."

Good. Later.

Goren slid the phone back into his pocket as he turned toward the car. Eames asked, "What do I tell you all the time?"

"That I'm a pain in the ass."

"Oh. Well, you are."

"I know. Let's get Steve over to the hospital."


	2. Snowballing Events

Eames watched Steve pace back and forth in the ER waiting room. Logan's sweats were big on him but not terribly so. He raised a hand to his throbbing head and then sat on the chair beside hers, burying his head under his arms. She laid a hand on his back and gently rubbed. Poor kid...

She looked toward the doors that led into the bowels of the emergency room. Goren had sweet-talked his way back there, flashing his badge, his smile and his charm on the head nurse. Her approach was more aggressive and tied more to her badge than her charm, but she drew the line at flirting with female nurses. She did get a great deal of enjoyment from teasing him about this aspect of his unconventional methodology. He would always simply shrug and say "Whatever works, Eames." But she never missed the blush that colored his cheeks when she teased him. That never failed to remind her how much she loved him.

And yet, if she tried the same thing with another man--doctor, nurse, witness, whoever--seeking the same result, he bristled at it...unless it was his idea. He was so unpredictable sometimes, vascillating from chivalry to jealousy to indifference with no predictable indicators. She ought to give him a taste of his own damn medicine, but truth be told, it wasn't worth the argument that would inevitably ensue. And his methods were worth the results nearly every time.

She leaned over toward Steve, softly reassuring and comforting him. He was trying hard not to break into tears. He looked lost and he had no idea what to do. She looked up as Goren approached, his face troubled. He eased himself down into the chair on Steve's other side, meeting her eyes as he placed his hand beside hers on Steve's back. He leaned forward as Steve turned his head to look at him. "How is she?" he asked, his voice faltering.

"She's stable. Right now, they're arranging to transfer her to Manhattan. But there's something I need to know, Steve...were you guys, um...were you intimate in the last 24 hours?"

"Before we went out last night, yeah...why?"

"We need to rule you out when the results come back from some of the tests they are running. They still need to examine you and they'll draw blood for the tox screen we need. That should be okay for DNA comparison, too."

"Yeah, sure, whatever you need. Was she...raped?"

"They don't know for sure."

Steve closed his eyes before he launched himself from the chair. "Who would do this?" he asked, angry and distressed. "You know Kelsey. She's never hurt anyone."

"It's not about that, Steve. This is about power...control. She is very independent, sure of herself, and I'm guessing that pissed someone off."

"So they tried to kill her? And what did I do? Why'd they do this to me?"

Goren sighed. "I don't know yet. But we'll find out." He stood up and rested a hand on Steve's shoulder, leaning over to look him in the eye. "Come on with me. Let's get you checked out."

He motioned to Eames and they both went back with Steve into the ER.

When they were done with him, he asked to sit with Kelsey. He had a feeling Goren had something to do with their consent, and he made a mental note to thank him later. Right now he simply sat beside her, smoothing her hair back from her forehead and holding her hand while they waited for the ambulance to arrive to take her to NYU Medical Center in Manhattan. Goren assured him it was a good thing that they were using an ambulance. If she were critically injured, they would call for an air evacuation if they dared to move her at all.

Steve hated seeing her like this. All he wanted was for her to open her eyes and smile at him. Then he'd go after the bastard who did this to her. But right now, he just wanted her to be okay.

Across the cubicle from him, Eames leaned against the wall, watching him and glancing toward her partner as he fidgeted restlessly near the foot of Kelsey's bed. He hated waiting when there was work to be done. Right now, he was trying to understand what had happened, to get a handle on the mind of the person who had done this. It was about power, control, rage...but whose? And why target these kids, who meant no harm to anyone?

Twenty minutes later, two ambulance attendants arrived for the transfer. Steve kissed Kelsey and moved away to give them room to move her onto their gurney. As they wheeled her from the cubicle, a nurse appeared with a clipboard. She looked at Steve. "Do you live alone, Mr. Cavanaugh?"

He shook his head, pointing toward the doors that led to the ambulance bay. "I live with her."

"Oh," she said. "Is there someone you can stay with for a day or two? If not, we will have to admit you for observation."

Goren spoke up, anxious to get going. "He can stay with me."

Steve looked at him. "Bobby, I've already..."

He waved a hand impatiently. "It's fine, Steve. I can keep an eye on you."

The nurse seemed satisfied. "Just sign here." While Steve signed the form, she looked at Goren. "If he shows any signs of confusion or you can't wake him, or he starts vomiting, take him to the nearest ER."

He nodded and said, "I know what to watch for. He'll be fine with me."

She smiled at him, gave Steve his copy of the form and told them they were free to go.

As they approached the car, Eames held out her hand for the keys, which Goren surrendered without comment. She started the car and backed out of the parking spot. "Just so you know," she said. "I'm stopping for coffee."

"Make it quick, unless you want me to drive."

"I'll hurry," she promised as she pulled out of the parking lot.

Goren glanced into the back seat. "Are you okay, Steve?"

"I guess."

"I...I'm sorry if I seem abrupt. I'm just anxious to get back to Manhattan."

Steve nodded. "I need to thank you both for coming down here...for what you did."

"It's fine," Goren said, both accepting his gratitude and dismissing it graciously in one quick statement. He had no problem with responding to Steve's call for help, and now he was anxious to find out what had happened to him and Kelsey. "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"You'll need to eat when we get back to my place, all right?"

"I'll try."

Eames glanced at her partner. "And just what are you planning to feed him? That pizza from last week or the jar of peanut butter that's been in your cabinet since 1989?"

"I have more to eat than that," he protested.

"Oh, yeah...there's that can of Spam that was there when you moved in. What did we figure...it's been there since WWII?"

He laughed; he couldn't help it. "Don't listen to her, Steve. She went grocery shopping with me the other day."

"That's the only reason you have food in your apartment."

"Take-out's easier."

She smiled. "But eating-in is more fun."

That got no argument from him. Reaching toward her, he pushed her hair back behind her ear, letting his fingertips brush her cheek. He'd really missed her last night; he'd spent little of the night actually sleeping. With a soft sigh, he turned toward the window and let his mind wander, trying to figure out the hows and whys of what had happened which would eventually lead him to the who.

---------------------------------------

He jerked awake when his phone rang, instantly irritated with himself for dozing off. He pulled the phone from his pocket and shot a look at Eames which she ignored. "Goren," he answered.

_Aw, did I wake you up?_

"Go to hell, Mike."

Logan chuckled. _Where are you?_

"Hold on." He looked at Eames. "Where are we?"

"We'll be in the city in about thirty minutes."

Goren looked annoyed. "We'll be there in about a half hour."

_I'm trying to figure out how many ways you owe me, man._

"Why?"

_I found your party house and now I'm sitting here on the front steps waiting for my partner, CSU and the ME to arrive...not to mention the fact that Deakins is hopping mad._

"What'd you find?"

_Lots of party debris, lots of blood and at least three bodies._

He swore. "Where's the house?"

_Take the Holland Tunnel over. You can't miss us. There are already three units here and I expect more._

"Okay, we'll hurry."

He looked into the back seat as he slid the phone into his pocket. Steve was sleeping. Then he looked at his partner. "Why'd you let me sleep?"

"First of all, you don't sleep unless you need it. Second of all, if you didn't sleep, you would have fidgeted the whole way and I might very well have pulled over and made you walk home. What did Logan say?"

He checked the back seat again. "Take the Holland Tunnel. He found the party house, complete with party debris, blood and at least three bodies."

She groaned. "Great. So what do we do with Steve?"

"I'll get one of the uniforms to take him over to Lewis'."

He pulled his phone back out to call Lewis, but it rang before he could open it. He glanced at the caller ID and reluctantly answered the phone. Deakins immediately laid into him. _What the hell is going on, Goren?_ Logan was right; the captain was furious. _First I get a call from Wildwood, NJ, about you finding two injured kids on one of their beaches and now Logan calls me to tell me he's at the scene of a multiple murder that you sent him in search of. Are you psychic now?_

"I got a call early this morning that set everything in motion. I had no idea it would lead to this. We're on our way to the scene now."

_Where are you?_

"Still in Jersey, but almost there."

_So is this your case, or Logan and Barek's?_

"Ours."

_When you're done at the scene, I want to see all four of you in the squadroom._

"Yes, sir." He closed the phone. "He is definitely _not_ happy."

"Didn't you call him?"

"At 3 this morning? How was I supposed to know what that call was going to turn into? A simple favor snowballed into all this, and I was supposed to predict that?"

"Calm down. I wasn't accusing you of anything."

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I...don't like any of this."

She reached over and caressed his forearm. He caught her hand and gently kissed it. "I love you," he whispered.

She smiled warmly. He always knew just when to say that and just what to do to make sure she knew he was sincere...as though she would ever doubt it. "I love you, too," she answered softly. "Thanks for the sunrise, Bobby."

He returned her smile and settled into his seat, still holding her hand.


	3. Not What They Were Looking For

They passed through the doorway into a large foyer. A staircase in front of them led to the second floor. Beside it, a hallway headed toward the back of the house, where the kitchen was located. There was a doorway off to each side of the entryway. The house was warm and the smell of blood, familiar to all four detectives, filled the air. Quietly, Eames said, "I'll never get used to that smell."

Beside her, her partner's soft voice replied, "The day you do is the day you move on to something else."

Logan pointed off to the left. "I saw two bodies in there and one in here. This is as far as I got."

Goren nodded. "You guys go in there. We'll take this room."

Logan and Barek crossed the threshold into the room off the right side of the foyer. It was a large sitting room with two sofas set across from one another, one just to their right and the other against the opposite wall. A fireplace dominated the wall at the back of the room while a large bay window filled the front wall. Various arm chairs were placed around the room and a long coffee table sat in the middle of the floor between the couches. The floor was wooden, but two large area rugs covered part of it, one in front of the fireplace and one under the coffee table. Several overturned chairs were spread around the room and the floor was littered with cups, plates, broken glass, papers...typical party debris. The smell of blood was not as strong in there, so they could detect the odors of spilled beer and vomit. Stepping among the debris toward the coffee table, Logan shook his head. "I remember these days."

With a smirk, Barek replied, "Really?"

A smile played at his lips. "Most of 'em."

The coffee table was littered with beer bottles, cups and glasses with varying volumes of beer and liquor, several glass plates covered with white powder and a scattering of syringes, needles and pills. There were several joints in the ashtrays among the cigarette butts and a couple of pipes on the table. "Somebody interrupted this party in full swing," Logan observed.

They headed to the back of the room, where the body lay, face down between the armchairs in front of the fireplace. The area rug he was sprawled on was saturated with his blood. Logan squatted beside the body's head in front of one of the chairs while his partner squatted behind the other chair near the body's hips. They'd wait for CSU to arrive and do the preliminary processing before they would examine the body in more detail. Barek sighed. "What a waste."

Across the hall, the room that Goren and Eames were examining was very close in size, layout and decor, and it was in just as much a state of disarray. More beer and liquor, more drugs, and everything left just as it was, like the partiers took off in a hurry. "Nobody stayed to clean up," Eames observed.

"Whatever spooked these kids, the drugs were the least of their concerns."

They turned their attention to the bodies. One male, one female, on opposite ends of the room. He was face down on a blood-soaked area rug near the fireplace. She was face up beneath the bay window, her face a bloody mess and her right arm twisted at an abnormal angle behind her back. A cloth was draped across her neck and part of her torso. Goren squatted beside the body, arms resting on his knees. Why would someone have laid a cloth over her, but not the other body...? He was about to call out to Logan when he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye as something fell past him onto the floor where the victim's blood had pooled. He looked up toward the ceiling and muttered a soft curse. Jumping to his feet, he called, "Eames!"

She ran after him out the door as he shouted to Logan and Barek. He vaulted up the stairs two at a time and was near the top as Logan and Barek met Eames at the bottom of the stairwell. She shrugged and ran up the stairs after him. They followed her and joined Goren in a small front room with wood floors and no rugs or furniture. Just three more bodies. There was a large pool of blood on the floor. "The blood by our female victim downstairs isn't all hers," Goren said grimly.

"It's coming through the floor? Nice." Eames sighed. "What a bloodbath. What the hell happened here?"

"There's a lot of rage in these killings."

"You think what happened to Steve and Kelsey is part of this?"

"I don't know yet. We aren't even sure this is where they were last night. It just seems like it was a bigger party than the one Steve described."

"So this might be totally unrelated?"

"It could be."

Barek looked over her shoulder as her partner came back into the small room. "Find anything?" she asked.

He shook his head. "There are four more rooms on this floor but no more bodies. A big mess, lots of cups and bottles, more drugs...and stairs going up to the third floor."

Goren rubbed his forehead. "What did Steve say? Seventy or eighty people? Two kegs, typical party drugs?"

Eames nodded. "Why?"

He sighed. "Let's check out the third floor and then go see if there are any kegs here. I don't think this is the party Steve and Kelsey were at."

"Which means there's another crime scene out there..."

He nodded. "One we may never find."

A search of the third floor revealed four bedrooms with beds that had seen recent use, but nothing else aside from more beer, drink cups and several joints. They headed back to the main floor where half a dozen CSU techs had just come through the front door. Seeing the four detectives, the lead tech approached them. Pointing as he spoke, Goren told him, "We have one body in there, two in there, and three more in the front room on the second floor. Be careful because there's blood seeping through the floor above the female victim in there. You guys need to process all three floors. Let us know when you get the _in__situ_ photos so we can examine the bodies."

"You got it, Bobby. What a way to spend a Sunday, huh?"

Goren smiled and squeezed his shoulder. The tech continued toward the sitting room on the left. "Okay, you guys. Let's get moving. We've got three floors to process."

The four detectives headed into the kitchen. Barek rolled her eyes when her partner opened the refrigerator. He reached in to turn a few bottles. "They still got beer in here..Miller, Bud, Coors, and the lites...typical party stuff." He opened the freezer, examining a variety of liquor bottles. "A little of everything here...rum, scotch, vodka, gin, Jack, Johnny Walker Red...Hey, a box of pizza rolls, too!"

Barek pushed the door closed. "CSU will take the inventory, Mike."

"Just trying to be thorough."

There were more than two dozen soda bottles on the counter. Goren opened the door to the back deck. "Four kegs and a lot more trash. This was a really big party."

"So how to we find the crime scene we were looking for?" Eames asked.

"Let's get done here and let the captain know what we found. I need to talk to Steve again."

As they headed for the front rooms, Logan said, "It's not my fault, you know. You sent me on a wild goose chase. Don't blame me for finding the damn goose."


	4. Reporting to Deakins

Eames stepped out of the house into the late October afternoon, exhausted both physically and emotionally. It was nearing dinner time; they'd been there for more than four hours. She wanted nothing more than to eat a quick dinner, take a long, hot bath and then crawl into bed, into his arms, where she felt comfortable and, more important after a day like this, safe. But they still alot to do and her bath was a long way off. Logan and Barek, sitting on the top step of the porch, looked up at her. "He's almost done," she informed them.

"What the hell is he doing now?" Logan asked. He was hungry and irritable.

"Don't ask." Sometimes, even she didn't understand him.

"Who could have done this? What kind of sick bastard does that to people? I've never seen anything like it."

Eames shuddered. As was their habit, she went with Goren from victim to victim, his sounding board as well as his vital grounding force. She listened carefully as he voiced his thoughts, his tone heavy and low. But she heard every word. She offered her observations and her thoughts, which he accepted and digested, never discounting or dismissing a word she said. She saved her questions for later, when they were alone and would discuss everything in more detail. Right now they dealt with the preliminaries. He voiced every observation so she would see what he saw, once again amazing her with the fact that he missed nothing. Six mutilated bodies, all but one in the same position, all in the same condition, throats and stomachs torn out, faces bloodied. Rage? _Maybe_, he replied. That left open the counterpoint: _maybe not_. He didn't have a handle on this one yet.

The door opened and Goren came out, his face dark and troubled. "The captain's waiting," he said.

Without another word, briefly touching Eames' gaze with his own, he walked off the porch and headed for the car. Logan and Barek looked at Eames, who sighed and rolled her eyes. He was already starting to withdraw and turn into himself. This was going to be a difficult case. She knew enough, though, not to push him. He was organizing his thoughts and his theories. He'd offer them when he was ready and not before. She knew how he worked and she sensed he was formulating a profile he was not willing to share yet, not even with her. "Come on, guys," she said. "Let's go brief the captain."

Logan nodded toward the cars. "What's with him? Usually he's chomping at the bit to discuss a case."

"Give him a little time. He'll get there. We'll meet you back at the squad."

The ride to 1PP was short and silent. Eames left him alone and he appreciated it. He was very unsettled. The patterns and severity of the lethal injuries were familiar and he felt a tension rise inside him. He'd noticed one thing in every room that he was certain everyone else had discounted...something he knew from unfortunate experience could be very relevant. So he ignored the odd looks Eames and the CSU techs had given him when he told them to tag and bag the small bowls of tomatoes that had been situated near each body, certain they would find one tomato somewhere in each bowl with a bite taken from it.

They were all used to his odd requests by now and the techs knew him well enough to roll their eyes, shake their heads and do as he asked. They never knew what to expect from him. A couple of weeks ago they had tagged and bagged thirteen potted plants. Next week, it could be cat litter. Today it was produce. They got busy with the tomatoes.

_Tomatoes_, he reflected on the ride to the squad. Unobtrusive, not suspicious in the least...but very relevant...and he couldn't shake the feeling that had settled on him when he saw them. _Not again...please, God..._

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Deakins' office, Barek and Eames sat in front of the captain's desk while the two men stayed on their feet. First, Deakins addressed Goren. "Ok, Goren. Tell me how Logan happened upon this scene at your insistence."

"I wasn't insisting he find _this_."

"Why was he looking for anything?"

Goren sighed. "I got a call early this morning from a friend who was in trouble."

"And that's how you and Eames turned an off-season beach in New Jersey into a crime scene?"

"Not intentionally. We found Kelsey in the dunes but whatever happened to her was done someplace else. Steve said they were at a party near the Holland Tunnel, so that's where I sent Mike. I don't think this scene is related to what happened to them."

"Steve and Kelsey...why do I know those names?"

"Uh, remember those kids who were trapped with me back in March?"

"You've got to be kidding me. This kid calls you because he got in trouble at a party, so you send Logan looking for the party and he found this? You two are going to have me putting _Alka Selzer_ in my coffee, do you know that?" He leaned back, grateful, and not for the first time, that he had Eames and Barek to keep these two in line. "Okay, let's hear what you found at this scene."

Pacing behind the women's chairs, Logan did most of the talking, with Eames and Barek tossing in comments as they saw fit. Goren leaned against the filing cabinet near the window as he usually did, but he removed himself from the conversation. The others kept looking toward him intermittently, but he didn't notice. He was off someplace else, and that deeply unsettled his partner.

Logan had finished describing the scene and the condition of each body. "What I don't get," he went on. "Is why this scrub left all the bodies in the same position except one. Why leave one victim face up and cover her? It makes no sense."

Roused from his introspection by Logan's comment, Goren said, "It wasn't the perp who did that."

They looked at him, everyone but Eames surprised that he had even been listening. "What do you mean?" Logan asked.

"Just what I said. That body was moved, turned over, probably by someone who knew her. The blood stains on the carpet were laid when she was laying there, face down. Someone turned her over after she bled out. Whoever it was had the presence of mind, even in his shock, to cover her before taking off. She was covered by someone who cared."

"Why didn't they call it in, then?"

"A combination of shock and terror. I don't know. I just know it wasn't the perp who did it."

"And just how do you _know_ that, Einstein?" Logan snapped, irritably.

Goren met his eyes, though Logan could not interpret the look that dwelled there. "I just know, okay?"

"No, it's not okay. What the hell is going on with you? You haven't said a damn word about this since we got here. If you have an idea what's going on, then we deserve to hear it. And if you say anything laying claim to this case, I swear I'll punch you. This belongs to the four of us."

Goren didn't care if Logan and Barek worked the case, too, and he knew Logan was irritable after a hell of a long day. The last thing he wanted was to get into a fistfight with a friend. He just shook his head. "An idea isn't solid enough to generate leads, Mike," he said quietly.

His quiet tone mollified Logan a little. "One of yours might be."

"Not this time."

"Okay, then, you've been sitting there off in your own zone, now you talk. What did I miss?"

"Not much. Something terrifying happened there...terrifying enough that not a single kid who was there called it in. Why?"

Eames answered him. "They were afraid no one would believe them, especially with all the drugs that were floating around the place."

Goren nodded. "Exactly."

Barek asked, "So what could have happened to make several hundred partiers think it was a mass hallucination?"

"Or several hundred individual hallucinations...explained away by saying the drugs must have been laced...I don't know."

But, in fact, he did. And the thought of it terrified him, too. Until he knew more, though, until he was sure, he kept his theory to himself. Logan had been watching him. "What else?"

"Did you see the tomatoes?"

"What tomatoes?"

"There was a small bowl of tomatoes situated in the vicinity of each body."

"Tomatoes? Are you fuckin' serious? What do tomatoes have to do with any of this?"

"Maybe nothing."

_Maybe everything._

Deakins quietly intevened. "What is it, Bobby? What are you thinking?"

"Nothing yet."

He had already talked with the lead tech at the crime scene for an update. "So you had the techs tag and bag salad just to give them something to do?"

Eames watched as Goren's restless anxiety quickly increased. He was onto something but he wasn't ready to share it yet. He pushed himself away from the file cabinet. "No. I just...wanted to be sure to cover everything."

"But produce?" Logan goaded. "What the hell kind of significance could tomatoes have?"

Goren met his eyes, holding his gaze. "If we missed it, and it turned out to be relevant, how do we go back and get them? What have we lost by doing it right the first time?"

"I swear to God you're gonna get your ass hit, Goren."

"Whatever, Logan."

He pushed past him and left the office. Logan took a step to follow but Eames was already on her feet and she grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare," she growled, glancing at Deakins, who nodded.

She took off after her partner and Logan shook his head. "What the hell is his problem?"

"Eames will handle him," Deakins answered. "Can you tell me anything else?"

"Unless there was a fruit basket in there that we missed, no."

"Then get out of here. Go home and get some rest, and I'll see you tomorrow. And leave Goren alone."

Barek laid a hand on his back as they approached the door and gently pushed. "Let's get you something to eat. That will calm you down some."

"Then I can hit him?"

"You heard the captain. Just leave him alone."

"He owes me dinner for getting me up at the crack of dawn to find that damn scene."

She grabbed her bag from her desk. "You can collect tomorrow. Dinner's on me tonight."

He sighed. "Sometimes I wish I understood him better. Then I realize what a nightmare that could be. Let's get something quick. I'm about ready to turn in anyway."

"Pizza sound good?"

The elevator doors opened. "Sounds great."

The doors closed and they headed for the parking garage.


	5. Heading Home

Eames exited the building and looked up and down the block. Spotting her partner, she hurried after him. Normally, he was very attuned to what was going on around him, but he was turned so far into himself, he seemed aware of nothing else. She caught up to him, coming into step beside him, but he gave no indication that he knew she was there. She knew him better than that, though. His pace slowed; the tension in his body increased. He knew she was there.

Remaining silent, she simply walked beside him, leaving him to his thoughts, whatever they were. He was deeply disturbed by something they had seen at that house. She was disturbed by everything they had seen, but with him, it was different. His reactions, his deep introversion...there was more to it than the things that had her bothered. This one had struck a deep chord with him, hitting him hard, and she wanted to know why. But she was also fully aware that he wouldn't tell her anything until he was ready to. So she stayed at his side and just walked with him.

He was fully aware of her when she appeared beside him, but he said nothing. He was very irritated with himself and he didn't want to turn that on her. He couldn't believe he'd let Logan bait him like that. He knew they wanted information, but how the hell could he put forth _this_ theory and still be taken seriously? Deakins would be sending him to see the shrink for sure. And it was likely to put a look in his partner's eye that he never wanted to see there. He just prayed he could find what he needed to solve this case without coming across another scene. Six kids were dead already. If any more followed, knowing what he knew, he would bear the burden of their deaths. If it followed the pattern of the past, he had about two weeks until the perp struck again.

And what about Steve and Kelsey? He still had a crime scene out there that may very well have been cleaned up by now. _Sharon_...he frowned. _Sharon_..."Eames?"

"So, you know I'm here."

"Of course I do. Do you still have that paper we found on the beach?"

"Paper? Oh, the phone number...it's right here."

She pulled out the evidence bag from her pocket and handed it to him. He took out his phone and dialed the number, waiting for the party on the other end to answer. When it went to voicemail, he closed the phone and placed both in his pocket. He would drop the paper by the lab for fingerprinting in the morning. He fell silent again and said nothing more.

"Bobby?" He turned his head to look at her. "Talk to me."

"About what?"

She stopped and so did he. "Excuse me? Why are we out here, Goren?"

"I needed to go for a walk. Why are you here?"

She just stared at him for a moment. He was being an ass and they both knew it. "Okay, fine. Go for your damn walk. I'm tired and hungry and I'm certainly not in the mood to play games with you. I am going home to eat dinner, take a bath and go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, and I swear you'd better not be an ass to Logan or anyone else."

She turned and stormed off. She heard him call after her, but she ignored him, choosing instead to walk faster back toward the headquarters building. Focusing on simply getting to the car, and not caring at the moment how her partner was getting home or that it was his car she was going to take, she was surprised when he grabbed her arm. Given his level of withdrawal, she had expected him to let her go, although she had hoped he wouldn't. She started to pull away, but he turned her into him and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest and held him, her body suddenly trembling as the pent-up tension of the day's horrors slid from her. He held her until her trembling stopped. Then he whispered, "I'm sorry. Let's get something to eat and I'll take you home."

"What about you?"

"I still need to talk to Steve and check on Kelsey. I'll just go home afterwards and I'll see you tomorrow."

She shook her head. "I'll go with you."

"Alex..."

"Are we partners or not?"

"Of course we are."

"But you're going to investigate a case without me?"

"A case? It's not a case..."

"Not officially. But you're still looking into an assault, aren't you?"

"Well, yes..."

"Okay, then. _We_ are looking into it." He sighed, ready to argue the point with her, until she said, "I really don't want to be alone right now, Bobby."

That gave him pause. "But...you were just going to..."

"Don't be an idiot, Goren. I knew you wouldn't let me go."

He laughed quietly. She did know him well. "Come on, then. Let's get you some dinner," he said, resuming his walk but heading instead back toward headquarters, where his car sat in the parking garage.

---------------------------------------------------

It was almost ten o'clock when Lewis opened his door to admit them. "It's about time. You called three hours ago. Don't tell me that food's cold."

Goren handed him a bag of Chinese take-out with a smile. "Of course it's not. We picked it up after we were done at the hospital."

Lewis smiled. "I knew there was a reason I stayed friends with you."

"Because I know enough to get dinner _after_ I'm done running around?"

"No, because you're considerate enough to get it afterwards."

Goren smiled at his lifelong friend. "Where's Steve?"

"In my bed."

"Have you been waking him up?"

"Every two hours, just like you said. He wakes easy enough."

"Good."

"How's his girlfriend?"

"They didn't have to admit her to intensive care. She woke up this afternoon, but she was sleeping when we got there and I didn't want to wake her."

Lewis held up one of the take-out containers. "You guys want some?"

Goren shook his head. "No, thanks. We ate. We just wanted to pick Steve up and head home. It's been a long day."

"He can stay here, if you want."

"Thanks, man, but I have to talk to him. If we can drop him off tomorrow, though..."

"Sure. Just come by the shop. He can give me a hand pulling an engine." He finished dishing out his dinner and then smiled at Eames. "How are you, Detective Alex?"

"Fine, Lewis. Just very tired."

Goren had disappeared into the bedroom to wake Steve. Lewis asked, "Is he okay?"

"He's a little preoccupied about things, that's all."

Lewis nodded. "Tough case?"

"It looks like it."

"Well, Steve's welcome here if you need a place for him."

"Thank you, Lewis."

Goren came out of the bedroom with a groggy Steve. "Come on, Alex. Thanks, Lewis. We'll see you tomorrow."

He gave Lewis a hug and they headed out the door. "Bobby?" He turned at the door and looked at Lewis, who warned, "Don't overdo it, man."

Lewis had no idea what he was facing, but he just nodded. "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine." He started to turn but hesitated. "Uh, make sure you lock the place up, okay?"

"If you say so."

Goren nodded, then turned and left. Eames and Steve were already in the car, waiting. He slid into the passenger seat and turned to look into the back seat. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better. How's Kelsey?"

"She's going to be okay. She woke up this afternoon."

He dropped his head back against the seatback and sighed in relief. "When can I see her?"

"Probably tomorrow afternoon. We're going to drop you off with Lewis again before we head in to work, but we'll come and pick you up when we take lunch. You can help him in his shop until we come to get you."

"Sure. Sounds like fun. Did you find anything?"

"Um, nothing that involved you and Kelsey, I don't think. Can you tell us more about that party you were at?"

"Like what?"

"How big was it?"

"Not very. Maybe sixty people, not much more."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Tell me more about the drugs that were there."

"Bobby, I already told you..."

"Tell me again." Eames glanced at him. He was impatient and irritated, and again she wondered exactly what had him in such a state.

Steve sighed. "There was some pot and some X, a little coke...that's all I saw."

"Any needles or anything?"

"No. Not that I saw."

"Alcohol?"

"Two kegs, a few cases of other brands of beer, a couple of bottles of harder stuff."

"Like?"

"I saw rum, tequila and vodka."

"Tell me about the place, Steve. Describe the house."

"It was a small house. Living room, small dining area, galley-type kitchen. One bedroom downstairs and two or three upstairs."

"Any yard?"

"No front yard, but a decent sized backyard."

"And where is it?"

"I don't remember, man...near a park in the Village...near the Holland Tunnel. Some of the kids there came over from Jersey City."

Goren groaned. Now he was changing the location. "Steve, I want the damn truth, man, and I want it now."

"I told you. I don't remember."

"This morning you were sending us down to Vandam and Varick, which is just south of the Village. Now you've got us up around Washington Square Park. What the hell, Steve?"

Steve looked at his hands. "You've gotta ask Kelsey, Bobby. I, um, I couldn't drive."

Goren sat back in his seat. "You should have told us that this morning," he snapped angrily.

"I'm sorry. I was...embarrassed, I guess. I started partying a little early. Kelsey told me not to...I shoulda listened to her."

"No shit," Goren grumbled, his anger and frustration very clearly evident. "Don't you want to find out what happened? How the hell are we supposed to find out now? The damn scene is probably out for the trash by this time and any trace is long gone."

Eames laid a hand on his arm and he turned to look out the window, but he couldn't settle himself. In the back seat, Steve was silent, knowing he'd screwed up. "What else did you lie about?" Goren asked after a few minutes.

"Nothing. And I didn't lie. I guessed."

Goren swore softly. "What did you really take, Steve?"

"Nothing. I just drank and smoked some pot."

"And Kelsey?"

"Neither. She doesn't smoke or do drugs and alcohol makes her sick. She goes with me to laugh at the drunks and make sure I get home safe. We don't do it often, maybe three times a semester."

After a few moments of struggling with himself, Goren said quietly, "I'm sorry, Steve. I'm wound a bit tight tonight. Maybe after we talk to Kelsey we'll be in a better position to figure something out. Just realize that we're going to have to do this with no evidence."

Eames added, "That annoys him."

Goren looked at her and she gave him a look that challenged him to deny it. A smile flickered across his face in the dark and he turned back toward his window. Eames glanced at Steve in the rearview mirror. "It's all right, Steve. We'll just do what we can with whatever we get."

"I really am sorry."

"It'll be okay."

Goren's voice had lost its edge when he spoke again. "The most we might be able to do is find out what happened. Without any evidence, a conviction is unlikely."

"I'll take whatever you can get. I want to know who did this to her."

"Why?" Steve didn't answer and Goren turned to look at him. "Think about Kelsey, all right? I know that Alex would never let me get away with taking matters into my own hands. I get in enough trouble doing things the right way."

"That's no joke," Eames grumbled.

He smiled and gently rubbed his hand over her arm before he told Steve, "I want your word, Steve."

With a heavy sigh, Steve finally nodded. "Okay, Bobby. I promise. And I am sorry I sent you to the wrong place."

"It turned out all right. Forget it."

He fell silent then, his mind turning back to the scene they _did_ find. It really did turn out all right. If they hadn't found the scene, they might not have gotten called out on it at all...not right away, anyway...maybe not until after the perp struck three or four times. Vital clues would have been lost and they would have had to process a cold and trampled scene...if they were lucky. No, it was a good thing that things happened the way they did. Though he wondered if that feeling would continue to hold true as the case progressed...


	6. A Nightmare From His Past

He lay in the bed, welcoming the quiet of the night. His right arm was folded under his head; his left arm was wrapped around the sleeping woman beside him. His mind was busy, reviewing what he remembered after all these years. He had a file in a box in the closet; he would pull it out in the morning. Right now, well, honestly, he was comfortable and he didn't want to wake her by getting out of bed. So, he'd test his memory for now.

They had both been exhausted by the time they got home. He took a quick shower, and then Eames got to take the bath she had been looking forward to all day. He pulled on a pair of sweats and got Steve settled in on the couch. After apologizing again for his earlier irritability, he left the young man watching television, offering free access to anything he found in the kitchen, with the exception of Alex's ice cream. He'd then returned to the bedroom, stripped to his boxers and gotten into bed.

He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew, Alex's body, warm from her bath, was next to his and she was sleeping soundly, snuggled against him. He'd slept some more, fitfully, but now he was awake and thinking, and he didn't like the path his mind was taking. It was rousing a nightmare case he'd finally put to rest after being haunted by it for years, a case that had cost the life of a good partner, a good cop and a good friend. He shuddered at the memory of Harry's body, throat torn out, belly torn open, face bloodied...and a bowl of tomatoes set nearby, a single bite taken from just one of them. _Tomatoes_..._Lycopersicon_..._Der Wolfpfirsich_..._wolf_ _peach_... _fuck_. They took him off the case after his partner's murder and, not long after, he found himself an NYPD rookie.

Beside him, she stirred, roused by his sudden agitation. Even in her sleep, she was sensitive to his moods. "Bobby? Are you okay?" she murmured sleepily.

"I'm fine, baby," he replied softly, kissing her temple. "Go back to sleep."

"Why are you awake?"

"I'm just thinking."

She nuzzled her face into his neck and whispered, "You need to sleep."

"I did."

She sighed, a frustrated huff. Then she snuggled her body closer and, assuming she was going back to sleep, he turned his thoughts back to a place four thousand miles away, eighteen years in the past. But she didn't go back to sleep. Her fingers played across his chest, pulling his thoughts back to her. He kissed her temple again, expecting her to settle back to sleep. But no, her hand kept moving, keeping his thoughts from going where he needed them to be. And she knew _exactly_ what she was doing. "Alex..." he whispered. "Go back to sleep."

"Suppose I'm not tired?"

He glanced at the clock. "It's three-thirty. You've got to be tired."

"Are you trying to tell me how I feel now?"

"No, I'm not. I just need to..."

He trailed off when her head slid from his shoulder and her lips lightly ran along his side. He gasped when her tongue trailed a path back up toward his shoulder. "Come on, baby..." he started. "I..."

Her hand continued to play across his skin, lower and lower... "Alex..." he whispered, but there was no conviction in his protest. He drew in a deep breath when she strayed past his waistband, followed by a deeper groan. His train of thought completely gone, along with any protest he might have had, he now focused solely on the paths of her hand, her mouth and her tongue over his body. Finally, he turned toward her, and he didn't give the past another thought.

-------------------------------------------------

When he woke again, the past was still there, waiting to ambush him, which it did. It was just dawn, and she was still sleeping, so he let her stay asleep as he silently slid from the bed. Turning off the alarm clock, he pulled on his sweats and headed into the kitchen. The television was still on--some Bogart movie on AMC--and Steve was sleeping soundly. He started the coffee and headed in to the bathroom. After a fast shower, he got into a suit and returned to the kitchen, draping his jacket over the back of a chair as he passed it. Preparing a cup of coffee for Alex, he brought it into the bedroom and set it on the bedside stand near the alarm clock. Leaning down, he softly kissed her. She stirred, slowly opening her eyes to smile at him and reaching her hand up to caress his cheek. "That sure beats waking to the alarm clock." She glanced toward the clock, spotting the coffee cup. "You spoil me, you know."

"Someone should."

He kissed her again and left her to get ready, returning to the living room, where he turned off the television and gently shook Steve's shoulder. "Hey, Steve. Time to get up, buddy."

Steve groaned and stretched. Looking toward the window, he frowned. "You guys get up this early every day?"

"Usually. There's fresh coffee in the kitchen."

He went to the closet as Steve got up and moved around. Pulling a file box from the shelf, he carried it to the table and opened it. Sorting through the files, he found the one he wanted, pulled it out and set it on the table. Closing the box, he returned it to its place on the closet shelf. Eames came out of the bedroom as he eased himself into a chair at the table and opened the thick file. She leaned over his shoulder, resting against him. "What's that?"

The feel of her body against his was reassuring. "An old file. Cold case."

"Does it have something to do with what we found yesterday?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I think so."

Her mouth was right beside his ear. "How?"

"It, uh, it was a case from Germany. I got pulled off it after my partner was killed."

She reached over his shoulder and took the file from him; he let her. Turning toward her, he carefully watched her reaction, remaining silent. One by one she pulled out the crime scene photos, followed by the _in_ _situ_ photos of the victims, military and civilian. Her face turned pale as she slowly sat down and pulled out the crime scene reports, autopsies, investigators' notes, which included his own...

"Oh, my God, Bobby...Why didn't you say something yesterday?"

"Keep reading."

She did, and he knew the exact moment she saw the words, first in German, then in English. One word, he knew, needed no translation because the word was virtually the same in English. _Der Werwolf_. She dropped the file. He leaned over to pick up the scattered papers as Steve came back into the room after taking a shower. He had on a clean t-shirt and jeans that Lewis had given him. "Something wrong? You look pale, Alex."

She shook her head, trying not to appear as rattled as she felt. "No, nothing's wrong. Are you about ready to go, Steve?"

"Sure. Whenever you're ready."

In silence, Goren had slipped the photos and reports back into their folder, shoving the entire file into his binder. He met his partner's gaze and saw his own disturbed emotions and unsettled anxiety reflected in her eyes.

---------------------------------------------------

After dropping Steve off at Lewis' shop, Goren closed the file, which he had been looking through. Quietly, he said, "They think I'm crazy for requesting those tomatoes to be bagged and tagged. How the hell would they have reacted if I told them a fucking werewolf might be responsible for these murders?"

"Come on, Bobby. You can't really believe that."

"I didn't, no. _We_ didn't. We got a lot of laughs over a lot of beers with that theory. It came from the locals first, and we just thought they were being superstitious._ Der Nachzehrer_, they called it at first. _Night_ _waster_...the undead. Then came _Der_ _Werwolf_..." He shuddered at the memory. "It killed eight civilians before it killed its first soldier and got us involved."

She stopped at a red light. "What happened to your partner?"

Silently, he pulled out a picture and held it out for her to see. She gasped. "No..."

He turned to look out the window as she looked away from the picture and continued through the intersection on the green. He slid the picture back into the file. Silence filled the car for a few blocks before she asked, "Who found him?"

She expected him to say it had been his wife or his roommate. Instead, he replied with two words that gripped her heart. "I did."

The rest of the trip to 1 PP was made in silence.


	7. Lycopersicon

Eames had no idea what to say to her partner. She couldn't fathom the horror of finding his partner like that...and now, to be facing similar murders...she couldn't even imagine what was going through his head. He had been camped out in this conference room all day, while she came and went, looking for the crime scene and M.E.'s reports as well as scanning the calls that had come in through central dispatch over the last thirty-six hours, hoping someone had reported the attacks. No such luck.

It was now nearing two in the afternoon. She looked across the table at him. He was lost in the pictures spread out before him...the ones from yesterday's murders and the ones from nearly two decades in the past. She could sense him slipping away, into himself, and she wasn't sure she should let him go, not this time. "Bobby?"

Usually, even when concentrating on a case in front of him, he would respond to her. Now, she got nothing, and that was not a good sign. "Bobby?" She raised her voice a little. "Hey, Goren!"

He lifted his eyes toward her, surprised. She knew that befuddled look. He had been someplace else, in another time, she guessed..."Let's take a break."

"A break?"

"Yeah, you know...lunch, maybe. I'm hungry."

He looked at the time, his eyes still clouded and confused. She got up and touched his arm. "Come on, Bobby. Let's go for a walk and get something to eat."

He let his eyes return to the pictures, and he sighed. She pulled on his arm and he got up, following her from the room.

As they walked down the sidewalk away from 1 PP, Eames kept looking over at him. He hadn't turned back into himself yet, and he noticed her unease. "What?"

"Are you all right?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Don't lie to me, Goren."

He looked away. "I-I've been...better," he muttered.

"This case can't be related to that one from Germany."

"Can't it?"

"Is that what you're thinking? Bobby, that was eighteen years ago...four thousand miles away."

"So what's your point?"

"Come on...think about it..."

"I _have _been thinking about it, Eames. That's all I've been thinking about. It's just...too familiar. I...can't let it go."

Okay, this wasn't getting her anywhere. She sighed, and she knew he would realize that she was getting frustrated. She hated it when he got like this, and he knew she did. "All right..." she said. "Let's start with the tomatoes."

"What about them?"

"That's what I want to know. What about them? Obviously, you think they are important to the case or you wouldn't risk a whole slew of new rumors about you losing your damn mind."

His jaw tightened. "I don't give a damn what they think. This is about good police work, about not missing anything..."

"About what happened eighteen years ago..."

He tensed further and fell silent. This was going to take some work on her part. He obviously felt strongly about it, and he sensed she wasn't taking him seriously, which couldn't be further from the truth. She knew better. "Tell me what you're thinking, dammit. I can't read your mind."

He was struggling with himself. He wanted to push her away, keep her at arms' length, and yet, he wanted to pull her closer and keep her safe. His mind returned to Germany, to the moment he found Harry's body, and the battle ended. _Keep her close, keep her safe_...he couldn't lose her, not like that...no, he wouldn't survive a loss like that... "Promise me something, Eames."

"What?"

"Stay with me."

Now what could he mean by that? "What?"

He turned his eyes toward her. "D-don't go anyplace without me, especially not home."

She hesitated, meeting his eyes, seeing his fear. That unsettled her deeply. "All right, Bobby. I'll stay by you. But you have to promise me something in return."

Nothing was more important to him right now than keeping her safe. "Name it."

"Don't leave me behind. Let me know what you're thinking, what you're feeling. Don't get lost in your head."

She knew him too well; she could already see that was happening. "I...I'll try."

That was as good as it was going to get, she knew, but it was enough. "Now...I want to know what the significance of the tomatoes is."

She knew it was important, even if she didn't understand it. He never did anything for no good reason. Even Logan knew that much by now, and he was hounding her about what it all meant. _Ask Bobby_, she'd told him. She had no idea, but she was going to find out...right now.

He rubbed his hand over his chin and sighed. "Werewolves exist in folklore from many cultures, but they don't have a lot in common with the werewolves of Hollywood. You don't become a werewolf by being bitten by one, and you don't need a silver bullet to kill one. And they don't need the stimulus of a full moon to change. Many people became werewolves of their own accord by wearing a wolf belt, which was usually made of wolfskin. Others changed into animal form as the result of a curse. That's where the tomatoes come in. In German, the common term for tomato was _Der Wolfpfirsich_. The literal translation for that is 'wolf peach'. And when Carl Linneus came up with the Latin name for tomato, he bowed to the legend and called it_ Lycopersicon esculentum_, which translates into 'edible wolf peach'. It all goes back to folklore, where it was believed that witches turned people into werewolves by making them ingest tomatoes."

"But why tomatoes?"

"Because tomatoes belong to the same family as belladonna, and the tomato plant closely resembles belladonna. Witches reportedly used belladonna in the practice of lycanthropy."

"So you think this guy made the victims take a bite of a tomato before he ripped their throats out?"

"Not if he follows the pattern of the past, no. There was no tomato found in the stomachs of any of the victims."

"So the one tomato with the bite taken from it?"

"He took that bite." An amused smile played at the corners of his mouth. "Tomatoes don't really turn people into werewolves."

She smacked him. "I know that, you ass."

He laughed softly and she smiled at him. But the amusment didn't last. "I think he was making a statement. Just what that statement was, though, we never figured out. After Harry got killed, I was deemed too close to the case and they took me off it."

"But you didn't just let it go. I know you. Did they get the guy?"

"No. After Harry died, the killings stopped, their leads dried up and the case was closed as unsolved."

"And that never sat well with you." He didn't answer; he didn't have to. She knew it didn't. She mulled over what he'd told her. "Bobby, this case can't be related to that one, can it?"

He sighed softly. "Twenty-seven years ago, there was a rash of killings in Poland with the same signature, the same number of victims. The killings stopped as suddenly as they started and an arrest was never made. Then, in rural England, nine years ago, the same thing...same signature, same number of victims, case closed as unsolved. Now, here we are...and we have six victims, so far."

"When did you find all this out?"

"When you went for breakfast this morning."

"For a guy who has trouble turning on his damn laptop, you made a lot of progress quickly."

Another small smile touched his mouth. "I had an idea what I was looking for."

"You knew it wasn't an isolated incident?"

"I suspected it."

"And you think they are all related?"

"I do. I requested the files from the proper authorities, but we can't sit on our asses waiting for them to arrive. I emailed the appropriate departments requesting certain details that were not in the published casefiles."

"Like the presence or absence of tomatoes at the scenes."

"Yes."

"How many victims are we heading toward?"

"Thirteen."

"I should have guessed."

"I am not making this up, Eames."

"I know you're not. That's what's scaring me. Anythiong else?"

"The number of people killed at one time appears to be random in every one of the cases, but the spacing between the killings isn't. Every two weeks, like clockwork, until thirteen victims had been claimed." He sighed. "In Poland, the killings lasted six weeks. In England, it was ten weeks. With our case..."

"Don't tell me...eight weeks?"

He nodded. "Eight weeks from the initial slayings until Harry was killed. He was victim number thirteen."

"So we can assume he is going to space his victims out over twelve weeks this time?"

He looked at her, tilting his head with a look of quiet amusement shining in his eyes. "Eames, don't tell me you think these cases are related."

She glared at him for a moment before ramming him with her shoulder. His arm briefly encircled her waist, giving her a quick, affectionate squeeze before releasing her. She sighed. "Ok, Goren, you sold me on the idea...but I still don't buy the werewolf theory."

"Neither do I. But that was the rampant theory in all three previous cases."

"This is the twenty-first century, Bobby. Werewolves and vampires and Bigfoot have no place here."

His face was deadly serious. "Are you sure about that, Eames? Can you say that with _absolute _certainty? _There are more things of Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy._"

Her mouth settled into a smirk. "Shakespeare?"

"I just want you to think, Alex," he answered softly. "Don't dismiss things out of hand. Just because we don't believe in something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"Like God?"

"I'm not asking you to take anything on faith. I'm just asking that you keep an open mind. I don't think a werewolf is responsible any more than you do. But there are things I can't explain..."

"And I know how that drives you up a wall."

He turned his eyes to the sidewalk in front of him. Neither of them had paid any attention to where they were going. Now Eames looked around for landmarks in the middle of the block. "Come on, there's a decent Chinese place on the next block. You're buying."

He sighed and she watched him over the course of the next half-block. "Now what are you thinking?" she asked.

"Just how do you think we should tell Logan what we're after?"

Eames laughed. "You'll think of something."

"Me? I was hoping you..."

"Oh, no. This is your pet theory. You tell him."

"I told you, I don't believe we're looking for anything supernatural. Just...unusual, I guess."

She turned the corner. "You owe him dinner..."

He met her eyes. "_We _owe him dinner. I'll buy, but you have to come along."

"Dinner with you and Logan. That could be interesting. And I don't _have _to come along..."

"You promised..."

She touched his hand, frowning. "Don't panic. I know what I promised. Bobby, is there something you aren't telling me?"

He shook his head. "I just don't want to...revisit the past, okay?"

She sensed there was more to it than that, but she let it go...for now. He pulled the door to the restaurant open and held it for her, following her into the dim interior. He never took his eyes off her.

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"There are more things of Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."  
--William Shakespeare, _Hamlet_, Act 1, scene 5


	8. Now You Know What We Know

When they got back to the squad room, there were several reports waiting on his desk. He pulled them in front of him as he sat down. The medical examiner's findings on the first three bodies came as no surprise. He could swap them with the autopsy reports from the past. He scanned them, then handed them across the desks to Eames and turned to the crime scene analysis of the tomatoes._ Included for analysis, at Detective Goren's request, are thirty-six tomatoes and six wicker baskets. One basket containing six tomatoes was found in close proximity to each body. One tomato from each basket had one bite taken from it. The other thirty tomatoes were unremarkable. Bite analysis of the six tomatoes reveals unusual dentition and it seems apparent that the same individual was responsible for all six bites. The baskets are unremarkable._

His eyes returned to two words. _Unusual dentition. _But nothing further was written about that...He knew they were annoyed about the fruit, but dammit...He grabbed the phone and punched in the number for the crime lab. Eames looked up from the autopsy reports, listening with interest to his end of the conversation. "This is Goren. I have a question for you...Yeah, it is...okay..." He waited. "Hey, Stan...yeah...I want to know more about the dentition...no, I'm not kidding...whatever you can tell me about it...right...as soon as you can...thanks."

He hung up the phone with enough force that she knew he was pissed. "Bobby?"

He looked at her and threw the papers onto the desk, pointing to the phone. "I just asked them to do their damn job."

"What didn't they do?"

He grabbed the report and thrust it toward her. She read it, then looked up at him. "You want to know what is unusual about it."

"Is that asking too much?"

She sighed. "No, Bobby. It's not."

He was restless and agitated, and it seemed to stretch beyond his annoyance at the lab. She started to say something, but his phone rang, interrupting her. He grabbed it from its cradle. "Goren."

Dr. Rodgers' voice came over the line into his ear. _Why do you hate me, Goren?_

"Uh, why would you ask that?"

_Got a minute?_

"We'll be right there."

He got to his feet as he hung up the phone and motioned to Eames. "Let's go find out why the M.E. thinks I hate her."

Eames grinned. "This should be good."

Rodgers was waiting for them in the autopsy room, where she was leaning over one of the victims. She straightened up and grabbed a kidney basin, handing it to Goren, who had snapped on latex gloves out of habit. He took the basin, holding it down so Eames could also see what was in it. He cocked his head, moving the small white object around with his finger and looking at Eames, who met his eyes questioningly. "It looks like a tooth," she said.

He nodded. "It is a tooth." He shifted his gaze to Rodgers. "Um, is it human?"

"That's the funny part. It is but it's not. It appears to be a human incisor, but it has traits of a canine tooth."

"Canine? As in dog?" Eames asked.

"Yes, detective. Dog."

"Can you explain that?" Goren asked.

Rodgers met his eyes. "Can _you_?"

Hesitantly, he sidestepped her question and asked, "Where did you find it?"

She watched him pick it up, turning it over in his fingers. "In this victim's throat." He closed his eyes briefly. The M.E. continued, "It was buried in the victim's trachea. Is there something about this perp that I should know?"

Goren shook his head. "Not that I know," he muttered, returning his attention to the tooth. "You're sure it's human?"

"That's my assessment, but I have never seen anything like it. If you have any ideas, I'm all ears."

Goren sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know yet."

She studied him skeptically but he just raised his eyebrows innocently. Finally, she looked away. "I'll let you know if I find anything else."

"Thanks, Doc."

He remained silent as they headed back to the squad room. She kept glancing in his direction, but he didn't notice. He was lost in his thoughts and his past. She sighed and let him be for the moment. Back at their desks, she returned to the autopsy results in front of her while he continued to dwell on his thoughts, until Logan approached them, gently smacking his shoulder. Eames was relieved when he came out of it and turned his attention to his friend. Logan grinned and leaned against the desk. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I was a bit of a grouch and I took it out on you."

Goren waved his hand. "Forget it. I was in a mood myself."

"You find out anything?"

"Some, but not a lot. M.E. found a tooth in a victim's throat."

"No kidding? What kind of tooth?"

"She's not sure. It's...unusual."

"Have they made a salad out of your evidence yet?"

"They may as well," Goren complained.

Eames added, "Their assessment left something to be desired."

"Let me guess...they said 'These are tomatoes and would best be utilized sliced with ranch dressing and a dash of salt.'"

In spite of his annoyance with the lab, Goren laughed. "Almost," he said.

Eames was glad to see him laugh and she shot Logan a grateful look. Logan smiled at her. "What can you expect when you make them bag and tag a bunch of fruit?"

His amusement faded. "They don't have to understand it. They just have to do it. And it doesn't excuse sloppy work."

"Down, boy," Eames soothed. She returned her eyes to Logan. "You know that tomatoes are a fruit and not a vegetable?"

"Don't act so surprised. Look who I hang out with. You'd be amazed what we talk about after a couple of beers too many."

"I'm not sure I want to find out, if this is any indication of your conversations."

Goren was shuffling papers, hiding a small grin. Logan slapped his shoulder again. "We gonna go over what you've found?"

"Prepare to be disappointed. We'll discuss it at dinner. I owe you a meal."

"Damn right you do."

Eames added, "Let your partner know she's got a date for dinner. I don't plan to join you two all by myself."

"Aw, Eames," Logan said with a grin. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"It runs on overdrive all day long. I like to give it a break once in awhile."

He laughed. "Fine, but if you don't mind, I'll put it in different terms. I don't particularly want to get smacked."

Goren chuckled and reached across the desks to snatch the report on the tomatoes, handing it to Logan, who scanned it. He handed it back and said, "They thought that would be acceptable to you? What's wrong with them?"

"That was my thought exactly," Eames said. "They should know better by now."

Goren glanced at her and she grinned. A brief smile flashed over his features before he looked back at Logan. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Steak." When Goren raised an eyebrow at him, he grumbled, "Hey, after what I found, be glad I'm not asking for a five star meal."

"Okay, fine, Mike. Steak it is."

"Great. We'll be ready at five."

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Eames had to laugh at the gleam in Logan's eye when his steak arrived. "What?" he said. "I live on a hamburger budget."

Barek elbowed him. "Don't eat like you live on a hamburger budget, okay?"

"I'm not a pig, Barek."

"Really? I've seen your place, Logan."

Goren laughed. "She has a point, Mike."

Logan glared at him. "Don't help me, Goren, okay? Just tell us what you guys have found out so far."

"I told you, not a lot." He sighed. "There are several unsolved cases of similar murders going back almost thirty years."

"By similar you mean...?"

"Almost identical."

"The differences being?"

"Location and duration."

"And the similarities?"

"Number of victims, manner of death..."

"Manner as in they had their throats and bellies ripped out?"

"Yes, and their faces bloodied. And there were tomatoes found in proximity to the bodies, with a bite taken from just one."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"Any chance this is a copycat?"

"I suppose anything is possible, but certain details were never made public."

"Like the tomatoes."

"Yes."

"And you know this how?"

"I worked one of the cases."

"Shit. How many similar cases are we looking at?"

"I've found two others, so that's three total. Poland, twenty-seven years ago; Germany, eighteen years ago; England, nine years ago."

Logan chewed his lip. "Keep going."

"There were thirteen victims in each case. In Poland, the lives were claimed over the course of six weeks. In Germany, eight weeks, and in England, ten weeks. The number of lives taken at one time appears random, but they were claimed at two week intervals in every case."

"Which gives us what? Twelve days?"

Logan did not question that the cases were related. He trusted Goren's instinct. Barek leaned over her plate. "What are you not telling us?"

She was perceptive. Goren looked down at his plate, silent. Eames avoided both Logan and Barek's stares by looking at Goren. Logan frowned. "What is it?"

"Um, there was a prevailing theory in each of the previous cases about who was responsible."

"They had a suspect?"

"Of sorts."

"Well?"

Eames looked at him. "Promise you won't overreact."

Logan frowned. "I'm not gonna like this, am I?"

Goren shook his head. "No."

"Let me eat first then. Hold that thought." He picked up his knife. "Did you request copies of the other casefiles?"

"Of course. They should be here tomorrow. I, uh, got emails from the local precincts in England and Poland. They confirmed the presence of the tomatoes at each scene. They sent the files by overnight courier."

"And the files from the case in Germany?"

"I have them."

"That was the case you worked?"

Eames watched him shift uncomfortably as he answered, "Yes. When I was in the Army."

"And?" He knew there was more. "What else?"

"Eight civilians and five soldiers were killed." He pushed his plate away. "The last victim was my partner. I, um, I need a little air. I'll be right back."

Logan and Barek watched him leave, but Eames looked at her plate. They shifted their attention back to her when he was out of sight. "What's with him?" Logan asked.

"This is...difficult for him. He was the one who found his partner's body."

"But there's something else, isn't there?"

"Just finish eating, Logan."

Goren didn't return until after Logan had finished eating. He slid into his chair silently. The other three detectives watched him until Logan finally broke the silence. "Okay, I'm done eating. Let's talk. What's this prevailing theory you don't want to tell me about?"

Goren took a deep breath. "Do you, uh, know what the Latin name for tomato is?"

"Yeah, sure. It's right on the tip of my tongue."

"It's _Lycopersicon esculentum_. It means edible wolf peach. The German name for tomato is _Der Wolfpfirsich_. Wolf peach. Um, the locals in Germany had two names for the thing they believed was responsible for the murders: _Der Nachzehrer_ and _Der Werwolf_."

"Whoa, back up one minute there. What did you say?"

"_Der Werwolf_."

"No way. Please tell me that word translates to human psycho killer. You are not proposing what I think you are. You can't be. Not even you would be that..." He trailed off.

"Nuts?" Goren filled in. He shrugged. "I'm telling you the prevailing theory from the three previous cases that match the one we're dealing with, that's all. I'm not proposing anything, yet."

Logan leaned back, focusing his gaze on Eames. "You buying this?"

"I haven't dismissed anything yet."

"Very diplomatic, Eames," Goren snapped.

"Don't start, Goren. I'll go home."

He fell silent, looking away. Again Logan frowned. "Did I miss something?"

She sighed. "Nothing else fits. We're looking for answers, but until we find them, we have what we have." She looked at her partner. "No, I haven't embraced the werewolf theory. But I haven't discounted it either, Horatio."

He looked up at her and finally gave her a brief smile. He took a deep breath. "Sorry. I, um, I guess we'll have more information tomorrow when the other files arrive. Until then, well, you now know as much as we do."

Logan was silent, letting everything wander through his mind. He looked at Barek. "What do you think?"

"I've seen some weird stuff out there. I don't know. We can't manipulate the evidence to fit what we want it to. We have to take what we are given and run with it."

Logan sighed heavily. He knew she was right. "Are you serious about this theory?"

"I wasn't eighteen years ago. Now, I don't know."

"So you're not feeding me a line of bullshit?"

"No."

"This isn't a joke?"

"No."

He sighed. "Sorry about your partner."

"Thanks. So was I."

"So...when do we get to play Night Stalker?"

Eames threw her napkin at him, hitting him in the face, and he laughed. Goren had an odd feeling in his gut that he wouldn't be laughing for long.

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_He headed down the hallway toward Harry's apartment, but as he approached the door he sensed something was not right. The door wasn't completely closed. Sliding his weapon from its holster at his hip, he eased the door open. "Harry?" He cautiously stepped into the apartment. "Harry?"_

_In the middle of the living room, he saw the crumpled form of his partner. Making a fast round of the apartment to be certain whatever intruder had been there was not still there, he knelt beside Harry. Then he saw the pool of blood. "Harry..."_

_Carefully, he turned the body over, into his arms. Blonde hair fell from a pretty face..."Alex? No...No!"_

"No!"

He sat bolt upright in the bed, sweaty and shaking. Startled from her sleep by his shout, she grabbed his arm. "Bobby? What's wrong?"

Struggling to get his breathing under control, he shook his head. "N-night-mare," he managed.

On her knees beside him, she smoothed her hand over his forehead and down the side of his face, leaning over to look at him. "About what?"

He never told her, but she always asked. This one seemed worse than most. He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees and burying his face in his hands, trying to dispel the nightmare image from his mind. She rested her head against his shoulder, gently stroking the back of his head. He was calming, but he couldn't stop trembling. Suddenly turning toward her, he pulled her into his arms and drew her close, settling back onto the pillows with her in his arms. His breathing had almost returned to normal, but his heart was still racing. He kissed her forehead. "I-I'm sorry I woke you," he murmured into her hair.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

He shook his head slowly and all he would say was: "I'm just afraid...that the past is going to repeat itself."

She misunderstood him. She took it to mean he was worried about the case, and that his nightmare had been about that, which was only partly true. He tightened his arms around her, breathed in her scent and tried to relax. It took a long time for him to settle himself down enough that he could return to sleep, and then he slipped into the deep, dreamless sleep of exhaustion.

She didn't know what to make of his terror. What could possibly have happened to generate a response like that in him? It troubled her that he wouldn't tell her. Perhaps in the morning, in the light of day, she could coax it out of him. She snuggled deeper into his arms and finally followed him to sleep.

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She jerked awake. _What was that?_ Lifting her head from his shoulder, she scanned the shadows in the room, but nothing seemed out of place. A flash of lightning and answering rumble of thunder helped to reassure her. It was kind of late for thunderstorms, but it had been a fairly warm day. With a soft sigh, she settled back into him, glad he was still sleeping and no more nightmares had troubled him. Closing her eyes, she was comforted when his arms tightened reflexively around her, probably in response to her sudden tension.

Her eyes popped open again. She gently shook his shoulder. "Bobby?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you hear something?"

That was all she had to say for him to be wide awake. "No. What did you hear?"

"I'm not sure it was anything...maybe just the storm..."

She jumped when the front door slammed. He bolted from the bed, grabbing his gun from the bedside table, and ran out the door, down the hall and through the living room. He came out of the apartment in time to see the elevator doors slide closed, so he ran for the stairwell. As he charged into the foyer, the front door to the building was just closing. He hit the door at a run and headed out into the storm. The street was deserted. He thought he caught the movement of a shadow at the end of the block, but with the wind and the rain, he couldn't be sure. His eyes searched up and down the street and he swore. He wanted badly to chase the shadow, but that would mean leaving Alex alone. Reluctantly, he headed back in to the building.

Dripping wet and angry, he shoved the door to his apartment open and stopped dead in his tracks. Alex was just closing her phone. She was pale and trembling uncontrollably. There on the coffee table in front of her sat a single tomato, with one bite taken from it.


	9. Unsettling Discoveries

The crime scene techs were careful to give Goren a wide berth. Still wearing the sweats he'd slept in, which were still wet from his foray into the storm, he was trying to pace off his agitation. Across the room, Eames leaned against the wall, silently watching him. By the time the techs had arrived, Goren had calmed her to the point where she had stopped trembling and she remained composed, though it was obvious she was still upset. The techs weren't quite certain what to make of either of them and were greatly relieved when Deakins arrived. He would take care of his detectives.

Deakins looked from one detective to the other. "What happened?"

Goren waved a hand. "He was here."

This was a departure from the pattern of the past, to the best of his knowledge, and he had no idea what to make of it. Deakins watched him pace for a few moments. "Did you see him?"

"N -no. Eames heard him. I caught a glimpse of...something...outside, in the shadows."

"Is anything out of place?"

He shook his head, turning his eyes toward the coffee table, where the tomato had yet to be taken into evidence. "But he left that."

Deakins walked over to the table and squatted, looking at the tomato. "This isn't yours?"

"No. I don't have any fresh produce at all. Um, you think I wouldn't know if I'd left it there?"

"That's not what I meant." Goren continued his agitated pacing. Deakins looked at Eames. "Are you all right, Alex?"

The question stopped Goren in his tracks. _Alex_. He turned toward her, head tilted slightly, eyes questioning. She met his eyes, then looked away. He crossed the room to stand in front of her and leaned over to catch her eyes. In a rare display of public affection, he touched her shoulders lightly and guided her closer. Two steps and she was in his arms, cradled against his chest. His arms folded around her, holding her close, and she felt safe. Melting into him, she let another tremor course through her. He didn't care who was around or what anyone thought; he simply cared about her, taking care of her, protecting her. Gently pressing his cheek against the top of her head, he closed his eyes.

Deakins was amazed. He had never seen Goren settle down so quickly and he'd never seen Eames seek comfort from anyone. He had not realized how close these two detectives had become, how much they really did depend on each other. Leaving them alone, he headed down the hall to the bedroom, where the techs were working.

Goren pulled back a little and softly called her name. She looked at him. "Are you all right?" he asked.

She sighed heavily. "He was here, Bobby. In this room. I...no, I'm not all right. Why was he here? And why _here_?"

"I don't know." He led her over to the couch and sat beside her. "I...I don't have a handle on this guy at all."

She leaned against him. "How did he get in?"

"I don't know. There are only three points of entry: the door, the window by the kitchen and the window in the bedroom. There's no sign of forced entry. The door was locked and so was the bedroom window. The window over there was open a little, but it's three stories up. Unless he's Spiderman, I don't know how he could have gotten in."

She started laughing. "Spiderman the Werewolf?"

He laughed softly and kissed her forehead. It took a lot for her to lose her sense of humor, but she regained it quickly. He gently ran his fingers through her hair and whispered, "I'll be right back."

Any speculation amid the crime scene techs regarding the true nature of Goren and Eames' relationship ended as the professional manner between them disintegrated in the wake of the night's events. For his part, Deakins was glad to see Eames reach out to her partner for reassurance and relieved that Goren did not withdraw from her. He looked up as Goren came into the bedroom. "How is she?"

"Shaken."

"And you?"

"Angry."

Deakins watched him as he wandered around the room, examining it with his seasoned detective's eye. When he stopped suddenly, turning his head to the side, the captain followed his gaze. "What is it?"

"The closet. The door's ajar." He walked over to the tech who was kneeling by the window, examining it for any sign of forced entry. He grabbed a pair of gloves from the tool box on the floor beneath the window. Crossing to the closet, he slid the door open the rest of the way. He turned and let his eyes wander up the wall toward the ceiling. Then he swore. "I, uh, found the point of entry."

Situated in the ceiling of the closet was a small trap door, and it was open.

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Goren looked up as a member of the support staff handed him two large, thick envelopes. "These just arrived for you by courier."

"Thanks, Marcy."

He set one on the desk in front of him and handed the other across the desks to Eames. Sliding the contents from the envelope, he began to go through it. Some of the notes had been translated into English and he made a note in his binder to send a thank you to the secretary he had spoken to for her efforts. Forty-five minutes later, he rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. Eames looked up at him. "Can't read Polish?"

He looked at her, smiling at her light teasing. "Uh, no. But...do you like Polish food?"

"I suppose so."

He got to his feet. "Let's get some lunch."

She pulled into a parking spot where he indicated and they got out of the car. Walking beside him, she scanned the neighborhood. It was a quiet, clean neighborhood in the East Village. Turning the corner, they headed into a small deli. The sign above the place read _Polski Delikatesy_. He held the door for her and they entered a small, cozy, spotlessly clean deli with four tables at the front and a deli counter at the rear of the store. "Bobby!" a loud voice boomed from the back of the store.

Eames was surprised by the size of the man who came from around the counter. For such a large voice, he was a small man, but he had a genuine smile and kind eyes. He spoke with a noticable accent that she was not quite able to place. Goren embraced the smaller man. "Hi, Stosh. This is my partner, Alex Eames. Alex, this is Stanislaw Czciborek. He has the best Polish deli in the city."

"Sit down, sit down. Let me get you something to eat!"

Goren shrugged when she looked at him. "You'll get your fill here," he said.

Stosh laughed. "_Jedzcie, pijcie i popuszczajcie pasa_! Right, Bobby?"

Goren laughed with him. "Right."

As they sat down, Eames gave him a questioning look. "What did he say?"

"'Eat, drink and loosen your belt.' I've known Stosh since I was about 16. He used to have a place over in Brooklyn, but he closed it while I was in Germany and put everything into this place. This is his neighborhood. He settled here when he came over from Poland and he raised his kids here. This is home."

Stosh returned with two plates, and he sat down between the two detectives, elbowing Goren. "So, Bobby...She is your _ukochana_, huh?"

Goren looked at his plate with a grin, but he didn't answer. Quietly, he pulled the file from his binder and handed it to his friend. "Um, I could use some help here with some translations, Stosh. It's an old police file from Leszno, from 1978."

Stosh took the file and a notepad from Goren. He began reading and jotting notes on the pad, a dark frown settling on his face. Goren looked at Eames and gave her a soft smile. She leaned toward him. "_Ukochana_?"

Stosh laughed. "_Ukochana_ is sweetheart," he told her with a smile.

She looked back at Goren, who was very interested in his food. Reaching toward him, she touched his hand. He looked up as he turned his hand over and gave hers a gentle squeeze. While they ate, Stosh kept reading and taking notes. They were long done by the time the elder man looked up from the file. "You are not joking me with this?"

Goren shook his head. "No. What makes you think we are?"

Stosh wrote something down and turned it so they could see it. _Teodor Wilkowak_. "This is the name of the man they suspected of these crimes."

"It's the only case we have with a named suspect."

"I don't know about that, Bobby. This name translates to 'Theodore Werewolf'."


	10. The Thirteenth Victim

It was late in the afternoon when Goren and Eames returned to the squad room. Logan approached them. "Where have you guys been?"

Eames sat down and opened her laptop, wasting no time in entering the name Teodor Wilkowak into several databases to see what came up. Goren dropped his binder on the desk and sat wearily in his chair. "Getting something translated."

"You got the file from Poland?"

"Yeah, and the one from England. The Polish authorities had a suspect but they could never locate him. Whether it was a real flesh and blood suspect remains to be seen."

"What? They were looking for a ghost?"

"_Der Nachzehrer_," Goren muttered thoughtfully.

"What?"

"Um, the locals in Germany. Like I told you, when the killings began, they called the, uh, thing they believed responsible _Der Nachzehrer_. It means 'night waster'...the undead. They later changed it to _Der Werwolf_."

"The undead. Now Dracula's jumping in the mix?"

Goren sighed impatiently. "No, Mike. We just have one perp. But the suspect the Polish police were looking for...his name is Teodor Wilkowak. My friend told us that name translates to Theodore Werewolf."

Logan rubbed his face. "Are you sure there aren't, like, television cameras, hidden around here someplace? You know, _Candid_ _Camera_ or some shit like that? 'Cause if someone jumps out at me and yells 'Gotcha', when I'm done pounding them, I'm gonna come after you."

Goren laughed. "I'm sure. This is deadly serious." He handed Logan the file from Leszno. "Have a look."

He weighted the thick file on his hand. "Great. Bedtime reading. Thanks, man."

Goren smiled as he pulled out the file from England. Opening his binder, he scanned the list of victims he had compiled from the cases in Poland and Germany. He pulled out the papers from England and got busy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eames sat back and said, "Holy shit."

Goren looked up. "Find something?"

"You might say that. Germany, 1987. Weisbaden...is that where you were stationed?"

"Yes."

"There was a man named Theodor Wolf living there, but I can't find any record of him before or after 1987. Then, in Lynton, England in 1996, guess who I found?"

"Another Theodore Wolf?"

"Close. Theodore C. Lupine."

Goren closed his eyes. "_Canis lupus_...that's the genus and species for wolf."

She frowned. "How'd you know that? It took me a half hour to find that and make that connection."

He just shrugged and gave her a small smile. "What about New York?"

"Well, there are 300 Wolfs in New York at the moment. Plus half a dozen Lupins."

"I assume we're looking for Theodores."

"So are we going to go door-to-door asking every Theodore Wolf if he's a werewolf?"

"Sounds like a job for Logan."

"You're kidding, right?"

He smiled. "Yes, Eames. I just...I wonder if he's going to be that obvious now. He diverged from the 'Wolf' moniker in England."

"Do you think we're looking for the same person?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do."

"So how old would he be now?"

"Do you think werewolves age like the rest of us?"

"Are you serious?"

He sighed. "I don't know any more." He flipped the file closed. "I...I need some sleep. I'm exhausted."

"So let's go home."

"Back to my place?"

"No way."

"To yours, then?"

"If he found you, that's bound to lead him to me."

"How about going to Lewis'? He has a spare bedroom."

"And Steve."

"He has a couch, too."

"He won't mind?"

"Having you sleep over? Come on, Eames."

She threw a pen at him. He laughed and picked up the phone.

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Lewis had something for them to eat when they got there, which both of them appreciated. Steve was glad to see them and he informed them that Kelsey would be released from the hospital in the next day or so and they'd be going home. Goren wasn't sure how he felt about that, and he wasn't sure why he was unsettled. He had intermittently tried calling the number for Sharon that they'd found in the sand in Wildwood, but it still went right to voicemail. The lab had found nothing on the paper except Steve's fingerprints. The phone company had given him an address on the East Side, but they had not yet had a chance to follow up on it. The investigation of the assaults on Steve and Kelsey were deemed unrelated to the bigger case of the gruesome murders they had found and, of necessity, had been set on a back burner for the time being.

The room was dark, except for the small lamp on the table beside the chair in the living room where Goren was sitting. Steve was sleeping soundly on the couch, Lewis was long in bed and Eames had headed to the spare bedroom about a half hour ago, making him promise to join her soon. Three cold cases...so damn similar...he studied the list of victims that he had compiled from the files. There was no rhyme or reason to the chosen victims. They had little in common across the board and appeared to have been chosen entirely at random. But the thirteenth victim in every case...there was nothing random about them. In England, the victim had been a junior inspector assigned to the case. In Germany, it had been Harry. In Poland, the man's title was _wywiadowca_, beside which Stosh had written 'detective'. In every case, the thirteenth victim had been a police investigator assigned to the case. And that didn't sit well with him at all.

* * *

**A/N: We are never told where Bobby was stationed in Germany, so I stationed him in Weisbaden, simply because I like Weisbaden. If we ever learn differently, I will change it. For now, we shall assume... And yes, Steve and Kelsey are about to be drawn back into the story (I didn't forget them!).**


	11. More Confusion

The gym bag on the bed was packed and she was ready. She hated waiting; it made her nervous. She hated hospitals even more, and she was anxious to leave. She had been for days, and now, finally, they were letting her go...and Steve was late. Didn't that just figure? He was being such a space cadet lately. She wasn't happy about what had happened to them either, but dwelling on it wasn't the way to handle it. Obsessing about it was not going to change what happened.

"Looking for a ride, little girl?"

Her face broke into a wide grin and she spun around. "Bobby!"

She ran into a hug. Looking past him, she smiled at Eames. "Hi, Alex."

"How are you feeling, Kelsey?"

She stepped back from Goren and looked at both of them. "I'm feeling good now that I'm getting out of this place. Where's Steve?"

Eames answered, "He's in the middle of something so he asked us to came to get you."

"In the middle of what?"

Goren smiled. "An engine."

Kelsey looked confused. "A what?"

Eames elbowed her partner. "He's been staying with Bobby's mechanic friend Lewis. They're in the middle of rebuilding an engine."

"Oh. I'll bet Steve loves that."

"Yes, he seems to."

Goren lifted the gym bag from the bed and said, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. I already signed away my life and the life of my first-born so they'd let me go. Let's get out of here before they think of something else."

With a smile, he followed the two women from the hospital room.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kelsey settled herself in the back seat of the Explorer. Goren turned in his seat to look at her. "I'm really sorry we didn't get up to see you, Kelsey. We're in the middle of a difficult case, so we haven't had a lot of time. We haven't found out much about what happened to you guys, either. Steve didn't give us much to go on."

"I'm surprised he could give you _anything _to go on. I've never seen him like that, and if I ever do again, he's gonna be the one needing the hospital. Idiot."

"What can you tell us about the party?"

"I wasn't very comfortable there, and I have no idea why Steve wanted to go. It was supposed to be a small party, but it got out of hand pretty quickly."

Goren frowned and glanced at Eames, then looked back at Kelsey. "It wasn't a small party?"

"Well, compared to New Year's Eve on Times Square it was small. For what it was, though, no, it wasn't a small party. There had to be at least 200 people there if there were ten."

"Steve said there were about 60."

"Steve was in no condition to judge."

"Any drugs?"

She laughed. "You name it, they had it."

Goren ran a hand over his hair. "Um, did he do any drugs?"

"No. He's not into that. If he was, I'd never stay with him. He smokes some dope and he drinks from time to time, but that's it."

"And you?"

"You didn't check my system for drugs?"

"I want to hear it from you, Kelsey."

"I don't do drugs, Bobby. Not even pot. And alcohol makes me sick. I may not look like they type of person who stays clean, but I do."

He smiled at her. "I learned a long time ago never to judge a person by appearance. And your blood was clean." He shifted in his seat. "There's a big difference between 60 people and 200, drugs or no drugs."

"We were at two parties. He probably just doesn't remember the second one. That was the big one. There were probably a hundred people there when we got there, and it kept on growing."

"Where was it?"

"Down by the Holland Tunnel. The first one was up in the Village, but we didn't stay long. I didn't care for the crowd there."

"And the second one?"

"A lot wilder, a lot more to watch."

"Um, does the name Sharon mean anything to you?"

"There was a girl at the second party trying to come on to Steve. I think her name was Sharon. I didn't much care, but it was her fault we found ourselves in trouble. Her boyfriend was drunk as hell and I have no idea what he'd been taking, but he didn't take too kindly to her flirting with Steve. He and two of his buddies started in on Steve. I tried to stop the whole thing, but I don't remember anything after that." She frowned. "But there were three of them and one of him. That wasn't fair. Sharon just sat there with a goofy grin on her face. I was pissed."

Goren flipped through the file in the binder on his lap. He pulled out the morgue shot of the female victim from the party and showed it to Kelsey. "Does she look familiar?"

Kelsey's face turned pale. "That looks like Sharon."

Eames glanced at her partner. "That's why she didn't answer her phone."

He slid the photo back into the folder and pulled out the one of the male victim found in the room with her. "This one?"

"That was one of her boyfriend's buddies. What happened?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out. Do you have any idea what time it was that Steve got into that fight?"

"Sometime after midnight. Maybe 12:30. I wasn't paying too much attention. We left the party in the Village at around ten."

"Um, look, Kelsey...I think I want you and Steve to stay with Lewis for a few days. We can stop by your place for some clothes."

"Why?"

He met her eyes. "Just trust me, okay?"

She held his gaze. "Okay, Bobby. I trust you."

He met Eames' eyes before turning back to the window. He had no idea what to make of this at all.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kelsey turned the key in the lock and entered the apartment, with Goren and Eames right behind her. She stopped dead. The place was trashed. Eames said quietly, "Let me guess...it doesn't usually look like this."

Kelsey replied, "Just because I live _with _a guy doesn't mean I live _like _a guy. This place is always clean."

Eames pulled out her phone as Goren snapped on a pair of gloves. "Stay here," he cautioned.

"I'm not going anywhere," she answered, clearly unsettled.

Eames approached him as he knelt beside the couch, which was torn to ribbons. "CSU is on the way. Is that blood?"

The stuffing near the center of the couch was stained dark. "I think so." He turned his attention toward the end table between the couch and the wall. "Uh, Eames..."

He moved aside a scattering of paper that had once been a book. Sitting in the middle of the debris was a tomato...with one bite taken from it.


	12. Skinwalker

After dinner, they sat around Lewis' living room, mostly in silence. Without divulging much in the way of detail, Goren had explained what had happened in Steve and Kelsey's apartment and why he wanted them to stay with Lewis. He felt they would be safe there. Lewis was all for it. He enjoyed Steve's company and they worked well together. And having Kelsey around wasn't going to hurt his feelings in the least.

Goren was sitting on the couch, leaning back with his arm around Eames, who leaned against him. His other arm was propped beside him, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. His head was throbbing. Eames was lost in thought, absently caressing his wrist and the back of his hand. Across the room, Steve sat on the floor against the wall, and Kelsey was sitting between his legs, leaning back against him. His arms encircled her protectively. Lewis was reclining on a beanbag chair, tossing a baseball up and catching it. He had offered to let Bobby and Alex stay as well, but Goren refused, saying they had already made arrangements to stay at Logan's. What he didn't say was that he was afraid if they did stay, the danger that seemed to follow him would come down on his friend. He wasn't sure why Steve and Kelsey's apartment had been ransacked, but he felt the odds of whoever it was finding them here were much more remote if he and Eames were elsewhere. He didn't feel bad about staying with Logan; Mike was part of the team investigating the case.

"Bobby?"

He opened his eyes to look at Kelsey. She seemed to think carefully about what she wanted to say. "Do you know anything about what the Navajo call skinwalkers?"

"A little. They are called witches and shape shifters."

She nodded. "Evil witches with the ability to transform their bodies into animals, right. They are feared and condemned among the Dine."

Steve tipped his head forward. "The what?"

"The Dine. The People. Dine are what the Navajo call themselves, like the Comanche called themselves Nemena. Every tribe has a name they call themselves, and it usually means 'the People.'"

"When did you become an expert on Indians?"

"It's always a good idea to connect with your roots."

"And your roots are Indian?"

"On my mother's side, yes. My grandfather is Navajo and my grandmother was Comanche. Just because I inherited my father's northern European features does not change the fact that I am Dine and Nemena."

He nodded in agreement and leaned back. He was used to her intelligence and her forthrightness. He kissed her head as she turned her attention back to Goren. "My grandfather lives on the reservation in northern Arizona. From the time I was six or seven until I left home, I always spend the summers with him. When I was thirteen, there was a lot of odd stuff going on out there. It began in the spring, and my parents hesitated sending me, but Grandpa promised he would watch out for me. He did not want to miss our time together, and neither did I. My grandmother had died the year before, and he was lonely. Most of the problems involved the mutilation of livestock but several people had been killed. The local law enforcement officials believed the people had come upon Satanists mutilating cattle and became victims themselves. The tribal police and the elders said it was a skinwalker. Grandpa agreed with them, and by the end of the summer, so did I." She was quiet for a moment. "I was a curious kid. I didn't believe in tribal superstitions. The poison of the white culture I was being raised in, Grandma used to tell me. So late one night, I snuck out and went looking for Grandpa's 'skinwalker.' I was determined to prove to him that witches and ghosts didn't exist. I was the one who learned a lesson that night. The killings stopped by the time the first snows came." She pressed herself more firmly into Steve. "The things the papers said...it reminded me of that summer."

Goren looked thoughtful. "You saw something," he said gently.

She nodded; he waited. "I heard...an awful sound, in a nearby pasture. A neighbor's place. I was like a scream of terror, but I never heard a human make that kind of sound, and it was cut off in mid-scream. Then there was a dead silence. It was like the world was holding its breath. No crickets, no night sounds, not even the wind. I crept into a gully and looked into the pasture. A steer had made that horrible sound and...something...was gutting the poor animal...with its hands and mouth. I never saw a knife. It...walked like a man...but it didn't _move _like a man. Its skin was dark, much darked than the Dine were, and its eyes...glowed. I only had the moon to see by, and it wasn't full, so I couldn't see it well...but I saw enough to know that whatever it was, it was only part human. I stayed where I was and didn't move a muscle until it was done with the steer, and then it ran off. It was much faster than a man. It _jumped _over the far pasture fence and was gone. I ran home as fast as I could and tried to forget what I saw. I just figured everyone would tell me I was dreaming. Finally, about a week later, I told my grandfather what I saw. He told me it was a skinwalker and brought me to see a medicine man who blessed me and gave me a talisman to wear for protection." She pulled out her necklace. It was a silver charm, inlaid with coral and turquoise. "I still wear it."

Goren could feel Eames shudder beside him and he tightened his arms around her. Kelsey gently rubbed the talisman and slid it back into her shirt. "Do you think I imagined it?"

"What do you think?"

Eames nudged him. She hated when he answered a question with a question. He gave her a squeeze but remained focused on Kelsey. She was looking back in time through her memory. Slowly she nodded. "I know what I saw. It was real. Could this be related to it?"

"As in the same person? No. The same phenomenon? Maybe."

"So I'm not nuts?"

He smiled. "No. You're not." He tightened his arm around Eames again. "We'd better get going or we'll be sleeping in the car."

"I'll kick his door in first and then make him play sentry."

Goren laughed. "That'll make you a popular houseguest."

"Let's go," she said as she got up.

Lewis got to his feet. "So all this spook-talk...it's not just for Halloween?"

Goren shook his head. "Not this time, it's not."

Lewis grinned at Eames. "He used to get me so damn scared I was afraid to go home in the dark."

"But staying at my place was even scarier because you did go home."

"Only when your dad was there...or your mom was about ready to go into the hospital."

He batted Lewis' ear affectionately. "This should be a cakewalk for you then." He looked at Kelsey. "Are you going to be okay? I know how...nightmares can be."

"I'll be fine, Bobby. Watch your backs."

He nodded and winked at her. "Stay aware, little girl."

She smiled at him. For some reason, she didn't mind when Bobby called her 'little girl.' Maybe because he did so with affection and a smile. "You, too, big guy," she answered.

Lewis kissed Eames' cheek and gave Goren a hug. "You guys be careful."

Goren slid his hand behind him and from the small of his back produced his backup piece. He handed it to Lewis. "Try not to shoot yourself in the foot. Remember what I taught you, and never shoot blind. Know for sure what you're shooting at." He let his eyes roam around the apartment. It looked secure enough. "Lock it up tight, man."

Lewis slid the gun into his pocket and seemed to relax a little. "Promise."

In the hall after the door closed, Goren waited until he heard the deadbolt engage and the chain rattle. Then he followed Eames toward the stairs. She looked at him. "Are they safe here?"

"For now. Lewis will call me if anything spooks him, believe me."

At the bottom of the stairs, she slid her hand into his. He tipped his head forward. "Are you all right, Alex?"

She didn't reply as they walked out of the building and headed for the car. Finally, she slowly shook her head. "I admit, this is a bit...unsettling."

"A bit?"

"Okay, more than just a bit. What do you want me to say?"

"Just be honest and stay in touch with your fears. That's how you master them."

"Be bigger than the things that scare you?"

"Something like that."

The drive to Logan's was silent, each of them lost in their own thoughts. As they headed up the stairs to his second floor apartment, she asked, "Are we bringing any danger to Logan?"

"Mike's a big boy, and he's part of this case. We have to assume that makes him a target, too, so we're not putting him in any further danger. That's the only reason we're staying here." He knocked on the door. "There are always risks, Alex. But I won't bring any more risk to innocent people."

She nodded in agreement as Logan pulled the door open. "Find any more tomatoes?" he asked with a grin.

"Actually we did," Goren answered. "You and Barek weren't around so we decided to save the surprise."

"Please tell me you're shitting me."

"At this point, I wouldn't dare."

"Where?"

"Steve and Kelsey's apartment."

"No."

"Ask Alex if you don't believe me."

"I didn't say that. I just...why?"

Goren dropped wearily onto the couch and rubbed his temple. Eames took over for him. "We don't know why, but that party...both Steve and Kelsey were there."

"I thought he said it was a small party."

"That was the first place they went. They ended up at this party. They were hurt in a fight and taken down to Wildwood. While they were being dumped, this...whatever it is...attacked the party. Two of the victims were involved in the fight."

Logan sat down in a chair. "Remind me not to work on any more cases with you two."

"It is convoluted, isn't it?" Goren muttered.

"Is that what you call it?"

"What do you call it?"

"You don't want to know. Barek's gonna just love this. Did you guys eat?"

"Yeah. We just came from Lewis'."

"Got a headache?"

He just nodded. Logan disappeared into the kitchen, returning with three beers and two aspirin. He handed out the beer and dropped the aspirin in Goren's hand. "I'll take the couch; you guys can have the bedroom." When Goren opened his mouth to protest, he said, "You know this couch, man. You want Alex sleeping on it?" He shook his head and Logan continued, "Then we agree Alex gets the bed. Now which of the two of us should sleep in there with her?"

"Ok, ok, I get it. Fine."

Logan grinned at Eames. "You just need the right leverage...unless it's you. You can talk him into almost anything."

Goren threw his bottle cap at him. "Shut up, Mike."

Logan laughed. "The sheets are clean, in case you're worried. Wake up call is seven."

Eames smiled. "He'll be up at five-thirty."

"Yeah, but he knows better than to wake me up before seven. He did that once. It wasn't pretty."

Goren almost smiled. "I think I still have a scar from that."

"Bullshit. I didn't hurt you...bad."

They laughed and Logan went down the hall for a pillow and blanket. Not long after, everyone was settled for the night. Eames settled her head into the hollow of Goren's shoulder and rested her hand on his chest. "What's going on, Bobby?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this is really...testing the strings of reality here."

"Before we're done, I'm afraid those strings are going to be broken."

"Tell me you're beginning to think this werewolf is for real."

He gently tightened his arm around her and kissed her head. "Go to sleep, Alex. I don't know what I think yet."

He caressed her side lightly until she drifted off, then he focused his gaze on the ceiling and let his mind recount Kelsey's story. Skinwalkers...shape shifters...witches...werewolves... With Halloween just over a week away, it was almost laughable. Almost. Six bodies removed the humor from the situation entirely...and replaced it with a terror all its own.


	13. A Phone Rings in the Night

When Logan woke at seven the next morning, Goren was sitting at the table with the files from the case spread out in front of him. "You can never let something go, even for just a little while, can you?"

"We're coming up on a week tomorrow night, Mike. I don't have time to let it go."

"You sleep last night?"

"A little."

"Meaning?"

He turned back to the files without answering. Logan shook his head. "You keep Eames up?"

"No. I've been out here."

"Well, then, thanks for not keeping me up."

"I waited until you were well asleep."

"You want breakfast?"

"I'm good."

"Is Eames up?"

"She's in the shower."

"I assume she has clothes?"

He nodded. "I brought her bag up from the car before I woke her up."

"Does everything look okay out there?"

"Why wouldn't it? Are you expecting some kind of fog to come rolling in or something?"

"Very funny. Although, I wouldn't be surprised. This all has me very nervous."

"I understand that." He began packing up the files. "I have some research to do. As soon as Alex is ready, we're going to head in to the squad room."

"I figured. Once you get your mind wrapped around something, that's it."

Goren just shrugged. Twenty minutes later, Eames came out, ready to leave. Pacing back and forth in the living room, he looked up and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Are you going to leave without me?"

"Of course not. But I'm anxious to get going. We have a lot fo work to do."

"Okay, fine, but if you want to get me in the car right now, I want a promise of breakfast before we get to the squad room."

He made a conciliatory gesture. "Whatever you want, Eames."

Logan was passing them on his way to the bedroom. "God, that's familiar."

He ducked as Goren took a half-hearted swing at him and hurried down the hall, laughing. Goren winked at his partner and called down the hall. "See you at work, Logan."

"Enjoy your breakfast," he called back.

With a soft laugh, Goren followed his partner out the door.

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Once in the squad room, Goren laid claim to a conference room. He spread out the files from all four cases and set up his laptop. He began researching Navajo skinwalkers while Eames came and went, bringing Deakins, Logan and Barek up to speed on the investigation. He was so engrossed in his research he barely noticed anyone coming or going. Eames sent Logan out for sandwiches and finally broke Goren out of his shell to eat lunch; it was nearly three. Reluctantly, he followed her from the conference room to their desks to eat lunch. Logan and Barek pulled up chairs and joined them "So, what have you found out?" Logan asked.

He sighed. "I found other accounts of encounters with skinwalkers similar to the encounter Kelsey had."

Ever the skeptic, Logan asked, "Are you sure she didn't do the same research and make it all up?"

"I looked into Kelsey, too. I know better than to take anything at face value, no matter how much I like, or even trust, the source of the information. Her grandfather is a full-blooded Navajo, living on the Navajo Nation reservation. Her grandmother was full-blooded Comanche, and died when Kelsey was twelve. I made a couple of phone calls. The events of the summer she told us about are right. There were livestock mutilations and several murders that year, starting in the spring and ending before the first snow. The case was never solved, but it's a common belief that a skinwalker was responsible, even among the investigating officers. Skinwalkers have existed in Navajo memory for as long as the tribe has, and that wasn't the first or the last incident attributed to them. I was able to get in touch with Kelsey's grandfather, and he told me he is convinced she did see a skinwalker that summer. She didn't make it up."

Logan let that mull around in his head. Across from him, Barek asked, "What about that talisman?"

"A protective token, blessed by a medicine man in a ceremony asking for protection for the wearer. He described it for me, and that's exactly what she's wearing."

"Okay, so you found out the girl is telling the truth. How does that tie in to this case?"

"I don't know that it does, but it gives us a frame of reference."

"Meaning the skinwalkers...something well-documented that fits into our scenario outside of the ancient folklore legends of Europe."

"Right."

Logan shook his head. "So now you're saying you do believe a werewolf is responsible."

"No. I didn't say that."

"Then you lost me, man."

Barek frowned at him. "That's not hard to do."

"Hey...I was with you right up until he said 'no'."

Eames finished her coffee and said, "It's just one possibility, Mike. We don't have enough evidence to jump on any one bandwagon."

"Good, cause that's where I was when we started. It just seems like everything keeps coming back to Spooksville."

Goren sighed deeply. "You do know what next Monday is, right?"

"Um...the thirty-first...uh, no...you gotta be kidding me...but Saturday is two weeks, not Monday."

"We're talking two weeks, Mike. Not fourteen days. Monday is very much within that time frame."

"Great...the papers will have a friggin' field day."

"Which is just one reason why we need to find this guy before then."

"You think that's possible?"

Barek answered for him. "Anything is possible, Mike. We just need to make it happen."

"We're gonna give the captain another headache, aren't we?"

Goren shrugged. "Probably."

That was not the answer Logan was hoping for, but it was the one he expected to receive.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goren was still in the conference room at nine that night. Eames had been unsuccessful at coaxing him out for dinner, finally giving up and splitting half a pizza with him while they worked. "You know how much I hate working dinners."

He gave her a gentle smile. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"I'll hold you up to that."

"I fully expect you to."

With a smile, she went back to the file from Poland, which Barek had spent the afternoon going over with her. There wasn't a lot to add. Logan and Barek came into the room before calling it a night. "Uh, before you leave..." Goren started. He picked up a list from in front of him."I, um...I think you ought to know...I was going over the list of victims from each case. I-I found something, and you're not going to like it."

Logan leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "And what makes you think we have liked _anything _you've had to tell us so far?"

"This may top the list."

"I can't wait."

Goren studied the list again. Finally he said, "There is one thing about the victims that every case has in common."

"I assume you mean beside the method of death and the damn tomatoes."

He nodded. "Um, the thirteenth victim...in every case, the thirteenth victim was a member of the investigating team...a cop."

A dead silence fell over the room. No one moved, except to look from one another to Goren. Finally, Logan said, "Is it too late to say I don't want this case?"

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Logan's apartment was dark and quiet. He was sleeping soundly on the couch. In the bedroom, Eames slept against Goren's side, his arm snugged protectively around her. Goren shifted restlessly in his sleep, turning more fully toward her and drawing her closer against him. He was roused from his sleep by the quiet ringing of his phone. Turning over, he fumbled on the bedside table for it and glanced at the caller ID...blocked. He flipped it open. "Goren."

A low, gruff voice, with an accent he couldn't identify, grumbled through the phone into his ear. "Hello, Sergeant Goren...oh, wait...it's detective now, isn't it?"

"Who is this?"

"The last time we...became acquainted I went by the name of Wolf."


	14. An Unwelcome Caller

He stiffened, automatically looking at the woman sleeping in his arms. He gently slid from her side and crossed the room to stand near the window. Keeping his voice soft, he asked, "How'd you get this number?"

A gruff chuckle. "Wouldn't want to wake her now, would we, Sergeant?"

Goren's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"I can see you near the window. I know you aren't alone in the room, in the bed. You weren't quite so close to your last partner."

A hot bolt of fear shot through him. "Leave her out of this."

"I can't. She's very much a part of this. And so is your friend and his partner. Not very smart, leaving her alone, you know."

_No_... Barek had refused to come with them at the end of the night. Goren bolted from the room, dropping the phone near the window. He grabbed Logan. "Get up," he growled.

"Nhuh? What? Let go of my shirt, dammit!"

"Get up!"

"What? Have you lost your mind?"

"You're gonna lose some teeth if you don't get up. Go get Barek."

"What? You really have lost it. If I show up at her place at this time of the night, she'll shoot me."

Goren heaved him off the couch and held him within a few inches of his face. "He knows who we are, knows she's alone. Go fucking get her!"

He saw the fear creep into Logan's eyes. "You weren't dreaming, were you?"

Goren gave him a shove. "Go, dammit."

"All right, all right, I'm going. But if she hurts me, I swear I'll hurt you." He pulled on his shoes and grabbed his keys and his jacket.

"You have your piece?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because he's out there, man. Watch your back."

"Are you trying to scare me?"

"If you're not scared, Logan, then you're the one who's nuts. Just hurry and be careful."

Grumbling, Logan left the apartment. "Bobby?" Eames came down the hall. "What's all the yelling about? Are you okay?"

Remembering the phone, he hurried past her back into the bedroom, picked the phone up from the floor under the window. "Are you still there?"

"I'm here."

"If you hurt her..."

Another frightening laugh. "You'll what? Arrest me? Don't you have to find me first?"

He wished he'd argued harder with Barek. If anything had happened to her, he would never forgive himself. Eames came into the room as he began to pace, agitated. She waited near the door.

"She's very pretty, Sergeant. Your girl there. And so is the other one." More laughter. "Try to relax. My thirst for blood is still under control. But I do want you and your friends to know I'm around, and I'm watching you...just like I watched you eighteen years ago, before I took my last victim."

Goren's body trembled with barely contained rage. "So you don't have the guts to show yourself?"

"I am not hiding. Maybe you see me every day. Are you expecting me to look like a Hollywood werewolf? Surely you aren't that gullible. Not you."

"So you _are _a werewolf?" He heard Eames gasp, and he turned to look at her. She was pale and she moved to sit on the bed.

"I am what I am, Sergeant Goren. I am what I have always been. I am a prisoner, tied to the cycle that has ruled my life for a very long time. This is your last chance to be a hero, my man. Your very last chance to save lives, including the life of the pretty lady behind you, your friends...who knows who else...Find me, end this cycle of my life...let me finally rest in peace. Keep her safe...and save your own life in the process."

The line went dead. He listened to the silence for a moment before he snapped the phone shut and looked out the window. In the dark of the night, illuminated by the streetlights that lined the sidewalks, a huge, brown dog ran up the street. He tensed even more. A dog...

"Bobby?"

The animal vanished into the shadows and he shuddered again, wishing he'd had his piece close enough to grab. A hand came to rest gently on his back and he jerked, startled. He turned to look at her, studying her pretty face, framed by light hair that always slid into her eyes. He brushed that hair back now, settling it behind her ear, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. He kissed her head, leaving his lips pressed into her hair. "What happened?" she asked. "Where did Logan go?"

Reluctantly, he loosened his hold and let her step back from his arms. "Um...that was our perp. He...went to visit Barek tonight."

Her face paled. "No." He nodded. "Oh, my God. Is she okay?"

"I didn't get the impression he hurt her, but I sent Logan to get her. He knows us, and he's watching us...all four of us."

She began to tremble as he led her back to the bed, sat beside her and pulled her against him, holding her. When the phone rang, he flipped it open without letting her go. "Goren."

Logan's voice was shaky. "It's me."

"Is she okay?"

"She's a little freaked right now and so am I. He was here, man. He was friggin' here, in her apartment."

Goren hesitated. "H-how do you know?"

"He left his calling card on the table next to her fucking bed."

He closed his eyes, trying not to tremble. "Did you call CSU?"

"Of course. They aren't gonna find anything, though. Just like at your place."

"We'll be right over."

"Good. See you in a few."

He got up, slid the phone into his pocket and said, "He was there, at Carolyn's...in her bedroom."

"No...is she okay?"

"Were you? We need to get over there."

She was getting dressed before he finished his sentence.

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They got to Barek's apartment just before the CSU team. Barek was sitting on the couch, and Eames went over to sit beside her. Logan was pacing the living room. He looked at Goren. "What are we supposed to do now?"

Goren shrugged. "I really don't know. I..."

He was cut off by the arrival of their captain, who stepped to the side to let the CSU techs into the apartment. Barek pointed down the hall and said simply, "Bedroom."

Deakins looked from one detective to the next before he said, "The next time CSU calls me before one of you four do, heads are going to roll. Now what's going on?"

Logan frowned. "Let's just say the sound of _plop, plop, fizz, fizz _is going to take on new meaning for you after this."

"I'm not in the mood, Logan. Right now I have a headache as obnoxious as you are." He looked at Goren. "What the hell is going on?"

"H-he called me, on my cell phone. He...knows us, and he's watching us."

Logan groaned. "Is it just me, or did the creep factor of this case just go through the roof?"

"It's been through the roof, Logan," Barek snapped. "You're way behind the rest of us." She looked at Goren. "Well, at least behind Eames and me."

Softly, Eames said, "Don't blame him."

Barek just shook her head and fell silent. Goren turned away from them and headed down the hallway to the bedroom, where three CSU techs were processing the room. One of them was carefully placing the tomato that was on the bedside stand into an evidence bag. In silence, he watched them, until a hand came to rest on the small of his back. "She's scared," Eames said softly. "We all are. This isn't your fault."

He just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. She could tell he didn't agree with her, and she knew she wouldn't have much success changing his mind. After a few moments, he lightly rested his hand against her side and gently squeezed. Then he turned and went back to the living room, where Deakins was talking to Barek and Logan was pacing like a caged tiger. He knew exactly how he felt. The captain looked at him. "I don't want any of you alone until we get this guy."

He nodded. He'd already figured that out, and he still felt badly for not pushing harder with Barek earlier. She was watching him and said, "Goren tried to get me to go with them tonight. I refused. So I guess some of this is on me."

Deakins looked back at him as he leaned against the wall, resting his head back. "Why did you want her to go with you?"

"Just to settle my own nerves. I already convinced Eames not to go anywhere alone, and I tried to tell that to Barek, too. I-I'm sorry I didn't push harder."

"Where have you been staying?"

"At Logan's."

"All right. I want all four of you there."

"He knows the place now."

"Do you think it's not safe?"

"I don't know if anyplace is safe, so I guess it's as good as anywhere. Eames isn't comfortable at my apartment, and I can't blame Barek for being uncomfortable here."

The captain nodded, satisfied. "This thirteenth victim pattern...you think one of you is the intended target."

"I know it."

"Should I have a car watching the place?"

Goren shook his head. "It won't matter. We need to find him before he strikes again. The only way any of us will be safe is if we find him."

Silently, Deakins agreed. He sighed. "The four of you go back to Logan's and try to get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning. And remember...stay together."

As they headed out the door, Logan muttered, "You don't have to tell me that twice."


	15. A Caged Tiger

Logan shut and locked his apartment door. "Well, now, isn't this cozy?"

Barek frowned at him. "Cozy is not the term I would use."

He grinned at her. "Let me change your mind."

"If you value your body parts, Logan, you'll keep them to yourself."

He laughed. "Aw, Barek. If Goren and Eames have the bedroom..."

"Oh, no. No, no...I am _not_ sleeping out here with you. No way. Eames and I will stay in the bedroom. You boys can flip for the couch."

"Geez, you take all the fun out of it."

"Fun? You think this is fun?"

He backed away from her. "I was joking, Barek. Chill out."

Eames touched her arm, halting her advance on her partner. "Ignore him, Carolyn. You know how he is."

Logan raised his eyebrows. "Enlighten me, Eames. How am I?"

"You're going to be bruised in a minute. Quit being a jackass. Now, let me guess...you don't have any tea."

He laughed again. "Tea? You can't be serious. I have beer and coffee. And water."

"We'll go grocery shopping after work tomorrow. In the meantime, let's see what's in your cupboards."

They headed for the kitchen. "I can tell you what's in there. Not much."

She laughed as they went into the kitchen and she began opening cabinets. "You weren't kidding, were you, Mike?"

"I'm not much for cooking. I don't do very well on a charcoal diet."

In the living room, Barek looked at Goren, who'd dropped onto the couch, seeming to ignore the banter around him as he studied his hands. She walked over to the couch and sat beside him. "I'm sorry, Bobby."

He raised his eyes to her. "For what?"

"For seeming to blame you for this. I know it's not your fault."

"I'm not so sure about that. He...remembered me, from Germany. I-I don't get that."

"Does the word coincidence have a place in your vocabulary?"

"Not usually."

"I would have you look it up if I wasn't positive Logan doesn't have a dictionary here."

He smiled, but there was something missing from his eyes. She moved closer to him and laid her hand on his forearm. "I should have listened to you this evening. I'm sorry I didn't. I like to think this badge and this gun make me invincible."

"Eames has the same complex."

She leaned back and sighed. "I guess we both need to be reminded that we're not. I hate to admit it, but I do feel better now. You know what they say: there's safety in numbers."

He just nodded. He didn't have the heart to tell her that with this particular perp there was no safety anywhere. She'd figure that out in due time. He was surprised when her head came to rest on his shoulder, and he slipped his arm around her, comforting her. She sighed and he felt her relax. He wished he felt better about them being together, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't safe. This guy seemed to be able to slip in and out with impunity, unseen and unheard. He didn't remember feeling anything like this the last time. Of course, he'd been much younger, still honing the profiling and deductive skills he now relied on. Still, this was something way outside the realm of his experience and he had no idea how to get into this guy's head. Eames had told him she would prefer he not even try, but how else were they going to catch him? He had to understand, to be able to predict what he would do. In order to do that, he had to think the way the perp did. But how did a werewolf think? _Shit_. He had to be tired. _Werewolf_...this guy had to be delusional. He _had _to be. Now delusional was something he could sink his teeth into. That was something he understood and could explain. It was rational...

From behind him, Eames rested her chin on his head and lightly stroked the back of his neck. Her head moved and her voice whispered past his ear, "Go to sleep. You won't do anyone any good if you can't think."

"I'm fine, Alex," he responded.

"Your bloodshot eyes tell me different."

Barek squeezed his arm and got up from the couch beside him. "We all need some rest. Bobby, I really am sorry. I didn't mean it."

He waved a hand at her. "I know. Go ahead and try to get some sleep. It'll help."

Eames slid her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Take your own advice, Goren. I'll see you in the morning."

He lightly caressed her arm as she straightened and walked away from him. He watched her head down the hall to the bedroom. Logan disappeared into the shadows of the hall, returning with an armful of blankets and two pillows. "One of us is gonna have to sleep on the floor."

Goren shrugged. "We can get a cot tomorrow. I'll take the floor if you want."

"I was hoping you'd say that, although the couch isn't much more comfortable."

"Speaking from experience, I think I might actually prefer the floor."

"Yeah, maybe." He tossed a pillow at him, followed by a blanket. Dropping another blanket and pillow on the couch, he set the extra blankets on the chair. "If you get cold, help yourself."

"I'll be fine."

It didn't take long for them to get settled and Logan turned off the light. The silence in the room was heavy. Goren knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. He folded his arms beneath his head and began reviewing everything they knew about Mr. Wolf, which wasn't much. From the darkness on the other side of the coffee table, Logan began softly muttering the chorus from "Monster Mash." Goren threw his pillow at him. Laughing, Logan threw it back.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Logan's snoring didn't bother him. He was actually glad he was finally sleeping. The weight of the darkness was crushing, and he felt restless. Silently, he got to his feet and began pacing, but it wasn't calming him down. _My thirst for blood is still under control._ He was searching for his next victims. That realization was no help at all, not knowing what was in the man's head, who he was targeting, how he chose his victims. He was feeling penned up, cornered, and he didn't like it one bit. He crossed to the kitchen and got a glass of water, but it didn't help. With a heavy sigh, he undid his belt and picked up his gun and holster from the counter, sliding them on and fastening his belt back up. Crossing the living room, he slipped on his shoes, grabbed his jacket, and silently left the apartment.

Eames tried not to toss and turn, but it wasn't easy. Carolyn had finally drifted off and she didn't want to wake her. Maybe Bobby would still be awake. She could almost count on that. Maybe if she sat and talked with him for a little while, she'd be able to relax. She slid lightly from the bed, slipped on her shoes and left the room.

The soft snoring from the couch told her Bobby was probably on the floor; he rarely snored. She found the blanket and knelt down beside it. "Bobby?"

Her hands came into contact with blanket and pillow, but nothing else. A quick round of the apartment told her he wasn't there. Heading to the kitchen, she checked the counter where they had placed their weapons. Seeing his was gone, she swore under her breath. Grabbing her own weapon and slipping it onto her waistband, she hurried across the room and grabbed her jacket. Turning the doorknob and seeing the door was unlocked, she muttered, "I'm going to kill him."

Without further hesitation, she left the apartment to find her partner.

* * *

**A/N: Monster Mash was a one-hit wonder sung by Bobby "Boris" Pickett.**


	16. Close Encounter of the Terrifying Kind

He resisted the urge to zip up his jacket as he headed away from the apartment. The wind had picked up and the temperature was dropping. He walked into the wind, talking a deep breath and letting the cold air wash over him. Slowly releasing his breath, he felt better. His eyes continued to scan the street, but it was deserted, as he expected it would be. He anticipated after a couple of blocks, he would feel settled enough to go back to the apartment, maybe even sleep for a little while. So he let his mind wander, focusing on what he knew about Wolf, trying to figure out where he would seek out his next victims...and he let his surroundings fade into the background...

She stood at the top of the steps leading down to the street when she stepped from the building. It was getting cold...oh, he was dead meat. She didn't know how long he'd been gone, but she could take a guess at which direction he'd headed. She knew where he liked to go when he walked around the neighborhood. With a heavy sigh, she headed down the steps and walked into the wind.

She had never walked this neighborhood alone at night. When she was with Bobby, she didn't often study her surroundings. She usually focused on him. She was aware of her surroundings, as always, but she never really noticed them much. There was never a need. Walking in a safe neighborhood with him...it was one of the rare times she could let down her guard and just be Alex--not a cop, or a protector, or a guardian...just a woman. _His _woman. She let herself smile at that pleasant thought. She truly loved being his. Okay, so she was mad at him right now. That couldn't change the fact that she loved him. It was because she did that she was so angry._ Idiot..._

_What was that? _She looked back over her shoulder, eyes searching the shadows. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. This whole case had her jumpy. She still didn't think he believed that a werewolf was responsible. She knew that she didn't. A weirdo, yes. A psychotic weirdo, most definitely. But a werewolf? No. As odd as people said Bobby was, he had never been given to flights of fantasy. No, he was well-grounded in the real world. Too much so sometimes. She felt very uncomfortable about the thought of him trying to get inside this guy's head. It was too twisted, too deranged. He had enough sleepless nights when the demons and ghosts of his past would not let him rest. He said she helped with those, keeping them away much of the time. But not all the time. They still haunted him.

Okay, there it was again...She was certain she heard it this time. The shuffle of a footstep carried on the backdraft of the wind. Her hand rested on the butt of her gun as she headed back to find the source of the noise. Drawing the gun, she passed two brownstones and a small neighborhood bar, a place where Bobby went from time to time when he knew there was a good chance he shouldn't be driving when the time came to go home. Another brownstone and a small alley...

An arm slid silently around her chest, pinning her arms down like a band of steel, and her gun fell to the ground. A hand clamped itself over her mouth. She struggled to no avail. Her heart was pounding against her ribs as she was dragged to the mouth of the alley and held fast. A voice hissed in her ear as the scent of his breath and his body filled her nostrils. The scent was pungent, familiar and yet not. The voice carried an unusual accent. "Not wise, pretty little thing, coming out here alone. Not wise of either of you. But this one time, you have struck good fortune. I am not hungry, not yet. I have six more victims to claim, and then none of you are safe. Unless..."

His voice trailed off but he continued to breath in her ear. She fought to settle herself, to notice him...his hand was not huge but his fingers reached halfway across her cheek, sharpened nails pressing against her skin. With every breath, the hair on his hand tickled her nose. The cheek that rested against her, near her ear, was neither smooth nor scruffy, but it felt soft. He wasn't much taller than she was. He continued speaking. "I have a message for you to give to your lover. A challenge, if he is up to it. I told him I am what I am. Now I tell you, I am what this curse has transformed me into. You are not safe, pretty little one. He is not safe. Neither are your friends. Two are in very grave danger. They escaped me once. I am not likely to let that happen again. They forced me to settle for secondary victims, and I don't like that. I didn't like it any better eighteen years ago when I took my thirteenth victim. So here is my challenge. He can break this curse, but I am driven to survive and cannot help him. He came close in Germany. That was why I chose him. He was too close. I will make no mistakes this time. I have chosen my thirteenth victim. The only way to break this curse is to kill me, and believe me, it is something I long for. I have lived this way for too many years. But I am driven by forces I cannot control. He must break this curse in order to save his own life, and yours. There is no other way."

His breathing was raspy, almost a growl. His grip around her chest tightened, making it hard to breathe. The more she struggled, the harder it was. Just when blackness began encrouching at the edges of her vision, the pressure was gone and she dropped to her knees in the alley, struggling to catch her breath. As the darkness retreated, she scrambled for her gun and turned to look into the alley. There was no sign of him, no sign of life anywhere in the darkness. She got to her feet and slowly backed out of the alley onto the sidewalk. Turning toward the apartment she started to run, not taking her eyes from the alley until something stopped her. Arms closed around her and she fought, swinging hard, making contact, and the arms were gone. "Alex!"

She stopped as the voice penetrated her panic, calming despite the alarm evident in the voice. She looked wildly around her until she spotted him, face concerned, mouth bleeding, standing several feet from her. Her blind flight had been stopped when she ran into him. His arms had closed around her, and he was the one she had punched, forcing him to back off. His voice had stalled her panic, which was now replaced by anger. "You son of a bitch!" she yelled at him, advancing on him. Wisely, despite his confusion, he backed away from her until he'd backed himself into a light pole. There was nowhere for him to go from there. She continued yelling, "What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you leave the apartment alone? Do you have any idea the danger you put yourself in?"

Tentatively, he answered, "I, uh, I just needed...to go for a walk..."

"Which part of 'stay together' confused you!"

"I..."

He fell silent, sensing silence was his best option at the moment. She was shaking but she refused to back down. "He's out here, Goren! He was in that alley right there! With me!"

She saw the alarm fill his eyes, which searched her quickly, looking for injury. That fueled her anger even more. She shoved him hard, which, since he had nowhere to go and no way to give to the force she applied, served to knock the wind out of him. "Go to hell," she yelled, walking away from him back toward the apartment building.

Recovering quickly, he hurried after her. "Alex..." he managed.

She did not slow her pace. All she wanted was to get back to the apartment and take a long shower. When he grabbed her arm, she swung again, another move he didn't expect. With her arm free, she continued down the street, quickening her pace. She heard him hurrying after her, but his footsteps served only to make her move faster. She knew it was him, but her mind filled with images of Wolf...

In spite of his longer stride, he wasn't able to overtake her until she got to the apartment building. He vaulted the stairs quickly and gently grabbed her . "Alex," he murmured as he pulled her into his arms. She balled his jacket in both fists and buried her face in his chest, still trembling. He continued to speak softly into her hair, not saying anything but calming her with the gentle timbre of his voice. When he was certain she had calmed, he whispered, "What happened?"

Slowly, she pulled back, taking a deep breath. "_You _happened, you stupid ass. Why the hell did you leave the apartment by yourself?"

"I needed to take a walk and I didn't want to wake anyone."

"I appreciate you checking in on us."

"What?"

"I wasn't sleeping, and if you'd taken the time to check you would have known that."

"I...I wasn't going to go into the bedroom..."

"Why the hell not? You've seen me naked, but my pajamas embarrass you?"

"I, no...but Carolyn was in there with you..."

"And you thought we were doing what?"

He fumbled with a few partial words, then finished lamely, "Nothing. I...uh, I just...she's not you. And I...oh, never mind..." He took a deep breath. "I didn't want to bother her, and I thought you were both asleep."

"God, I just want to hurt you sometimes."

"I...I'm sorry...but...why'd you come out?"

"I went out after you."

"Why?"

She finally looked up into his face. His mouth was still bleeding and now his left eye was swollen and beginning to discolor. But she felt no guilt for that. "Why? _Why_? Do I really have to answer that? I came out to talk to you because I couldn't sleep and you were gone. You want me to explain further...?"

"No. I, uh, I get it."

"Do you?" She moved her body into his and stretched to close some of the distance his height put between them. "Really? Because if you ever do something so brainless again, I promise I will hurt you. Bad."

He shifted uncomfortably. "All right. I'm sorry. Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"I already did. He was there in that alley." She shuddered, recalling his voice and the feel of his body against hers. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and ran into the building. Not waiting for the elevator, she ran into the stairwell, up the stairs and down the hall into the apartment. He hurried after her, but she was well ahead of him, since he hadn't expected her to bolt into the building. She hadn't bothered to close the door, so he did, locking it quietly. He heard her moving around in the bathroom and left her alone. Miserably, he sat down at the table. He would have made her tea, if Logan had any. Why had she followed him out of the apartment? Why did she have to get up while he was gone? He folded his arms on the table and rested his forehead against them. Why...?

He turned his head when her hand came to rest on the back of his neck. Slowly, he sat up and looked at her. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. He knew better than to tell her she should not have gone out after him. His lip was just starting to quit bleeding and his eye hurt. And there was a lump in the pit of his stomach he couldn't get rid of. "Alex, what happened?"

She stepped behind him and slid her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. He closed his hands around her arms, lightly stroking her skin with both thumbs. Her voice was steady. "He grabbed me from behind and held me. I know you're a big guy, Bobby, and you're strong for your size. But you wouldn't be a match for him. His arms were like steel bands. Don't even think of trying to go up against him alone." She took a deep breath. "He gave me a message for you. He wants you to kill him, but he can't help you. You have to find him and kill him, before it's too late."

His voice was hesitant. "Too late for what?"

"Harry was not his intended victim in Germany." She felt his muscles stiffen and she went on. "Steve and Kelsey were going to be victims and they are still in danger. He is annoyed that he had to settle for secondary victims...like he had to when he chose his thirteenth victim eighteen years ago. You were getting too close to him and he was driven to survive. He has already chosen his last two victims, Bobby."

"Did he say..." he swallowed.

"He didn't have to. And neither do I."

He released her arms and stood up. She stepped back and let him go. He walked around the table and stopped at the window. Bracing his hand against the wall, he looked out into the alley. "I was too close?" he muttered, more to himself than to her. "How was I too close?"

She walked over to him and laid a hand on his arm. "Promise me something?"

He looked at her, eyes dark and troubled. "Sure."

"Never do that again."

Leaning down, he rested his forehead against hers. "I promise. I-I never meant to put you in any danger. I'm sorry."

She fingered the side of his mouth opposite where she'd hit him. "Sorry I hit you. But you deserved it."

"I know." He softly kissed her and said, "Try to get some sleep, Alex. I-I won't go anywhere."

"You think I'll be able to sleep? Are you serious?"

"Suppose I held you?"

"Carolyn hits harder than I do, and she very well might hit you if she wakes up and you're in the bed."

He laughed, wincing at the pain in his mouth. "I wasn't suggesting that."

"You want me to lay on the floor with you?"

"Not if you don't want to."

She stood quietly for a moment, then took his hand and led him over to the discarded blanket. _Want _had nothing to do with her desire tonight. She _needed _him to be close, to hold her. She _needed_, for once, to feel protected. As she settled into his arms, as close to his body as she could get, she could feel some of her tension fade. She snuggled closer and he kissed her head, tightening his arms around her. It took a long time, but finally, she did sleep.


	17. Detours

Logan never set his alarm clock on Saturday morning, but his internal alarm never failed to wake him. He sat up slowly and glanced at the time. Almost nine. Well, considering it had been nearly four by the time they'd finally gone to bed, he guessed five hours was a decent amount of sleep. And that wasn't counting the two or three hours he'd gotten before being unceremoniously woken and tossed out the door to go and get his partner. His eyes automatically went to the spot where Goren had settled in on the floor, surprised to see Eames sleeping there instead. She rolled over and stretched, opening her eyes and searching the room until she spotted him. He grinned. "My partner kick you out of bed?"

"Of course not. I'm not you, Logan."

"Ouch, Eames."

"Don't start if you can't take it."

A grunt that sounded suspiciously like a stifled laugh drew his attention toward the dining table. "What are you laughing at, chucklehead?"

"Me?" Goren replied. "Not a thing. Though, if I were you, I wouldn't mess with her."

Logan stood up and folded his blanket. "You know, Goren..." He stopped when he saw Goren's face. "Whoa...what happened to you?"

Frowning, Goren turned his attention back to the files spread out on the table in front of him. "Nothing."

"Hey, you weren't all beat up when you went to bed five hours ago. What happened?"

"Just drop it, okay?"

Logan turned to Eames. "Do you know what happened?"

She laid her folded blanket and pillow on the chair with a noncommital shrug. "You'll have to get it out of him. I get first dibs on the bathroom."

"If you wake Barek up, I'll buy breakfast."

"What's the matter, Mike? Don't you want to get her up?"

"No, thanks. I value my body parts too much."

She laughed quietly and headed down the hall. She found to her surprise that she really liked Logan. In spite of his reputation, he was a decent guy and a good cop. His not-so-subtle humor helped make difficult situations more tolerable, most of the time. Logan watched her disappear into the bedroom before he walked around to the table and sat opposite Goren. "What happened, Bobby?"

Goren looked up at him, surprised by the sincerity and genuine concern in his voice. He studied the man's face intently, then sighed heavily. "I, uh, I pissed off my partner."

"And she clobbered you? What the hell did you do?"

He shrugged. "I was stupid."

"Okay, I take that as a given. What did you do?"

"I, uh, I went for a walk."

Logan just stared at him. "You went out there, alone, with Wolf boy lurking about watching us? Are you fucking nuts?"

"I guess so. Sh-she came out after me."

Logan shook his head slowly and rubbed his temple. "Well, here's a partnership made in heaven. Not an ounce of sense between you. They call me a loose cannon, but I got the sense to stay in out of the rain. What the hell were you thinking?"

"That's why I went out...so I could think. I...I thought everyone was asleep." Quietly subdued, he explained to Logan what happened to his partner in the alley down the street.

Before Logan could respond, Goren's phone rang. He pulled it out and flipped it open. "Goren."

"Bobby..." The captain's voice sounded strained. "I want the four of you to stay right where you are, and I am not kidding. Stay put."

"What happened?"

"Apparently, our perp paid a visit to the squad room during the night."

Goren's face paled. "No."

"We haven't pieced it all together yet...it looks like a produce stand exploded in here. There are tomatoes smashed everywhere. Your desk and Eames' have been torn apart. Where are the files?"

"I have them. Uh, was anyone hurt?"

"Gomez...he was here...he's on his way to NYU Medical Center. I don't know any more. I am serious about you four staying put. I'll be by later."

"Yeah, okay, Captain."

He closed the phone and set it on the table, then leaned back in the chair and looked at the ceiling, letting his breath out slowly. Logan glanced toward the living room as their partners emerged from the hallway leading to the bedroom. "What's wrong?" Barek asked.

Goren sighed heavily. "Wolf paid a visit to the squad room sometime this morning." He met his partner's eyes. "Gomez was there."

She caught her breath. "Is he all right?"

"He's on his way to the hospital. The captain doesn't know any more." He ran a hand over his hair. "Wolf tore the place apart and apparently smashed tomatoes everywhere. He was looking for something--Deakins thinks it was these files. He wants us to stay put; he'll be by later."

The silence was thick as the two women sat down in the living room. Logan sighed. "Well, now, isn't this fun? A mandatory sleepover."

A sofa cushion flew across the room and hit him in the face. He tossed it back at his partner with a frown. She said, "You know, Logan, you have a warped idea of 'fun'."

"Hey, this isn't _my_ idea, Barek. If you want to go home and get eaten by a werewolf, go ahead. I won't stop you."

Very quietly, but with a tone that left no room for argument, Goren said, "I will."

Barek turned around and looked at him, surprised by the bruises on his face but deciding this wasn't the time to ask about them. She sighed. "Okay, then, let's just get this guy so we can all go home."

"Now why didn't we think of that before?" Logan snapped. "Just tell us where he is, partner, and we'll go pick him up."

"Watch your step, _partner_," she growled back. "Or we'll chain you to a lamppost and use you as bait."

Logan opened his mouth to reply but Goren stopped him. "Don't," he said quietly. "Just be quiet."

Logan's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond to her. Instead, he turned to Eames. "Did you tell Barek about your little adventure this morning?"

"Yes."

"Good. You want to tell me now why he's only got a few bruises?"

Eames' eyes narrowed at him. "Do you really want to go there, Logan?"

"On second thought...uh, never mind," he said with half a smile. Getting up, he walked into the kitchen and started making coffee. "So what are we supposed to eat? I have two cans of tuna and some potted meat from around 1972. Deviled ham, I think."

Eames shuddered and looked toward the kitchen. "Does it matter?"

Goren got up and began pacing. Logan moved to the kitchen doorway and watched him, his eyes shifting from him to Eames, who was also watching her partner, eyes filled with concern. The big cop didn't notice either of them. Barek turned around to say something, but the words were lost before they ever made their way into her throat.

Goren was lost in his thoughts, trying desperately to figure out what Wolf had meant when he told Eames that he'd been close. For the life of him he couldn't figure it out. Was he so tired and so stressed that he couldn't think straight or remember what had happened all those years ago? Or had the trauma of Harry's murder shut down other memories, ones that he now needed to recall? What was his mind trying to protect him from? Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be in the file. He didn't remember that they had any suspects, any leads; they had nothing. He did remember they were both baffled by the murders, the brutality, the rage...and amused by the comical idea that a werewolf was responsible. _Oh, God...Harry..._ His head was pounding now, and it had nothing to do with the hits he'd taken from his partner.

Logan finally broke the silence. "This is another departure from his pattern, isn't it?"

Goren stopped pacing and looked at him. "Yes. Something is going on with him. This attack was driven by rage, not bloodlust."

Barek spoke up. ""How did he get into the squadroom, trash the place, and then leave without being detained?"

"Gomez saw him," Eames pointed out. "But he didn't kill him, and he certainly could have. Do you think he's holding himself back?"

Goren nodded absently. "I'd bet on it."

"Why did he break his pattern?" Logan mused. "He's been paying visits and leaving his calling card, but not making contact. He called you on your cell phone--do we have any idea how he got your number?" Goren shook his head. "Okay...then he grabbed Alex, but he didn't harm her. He injured Gomez, but didn't kill him. These are all thing he's never done before, and his level of contact is escalating. Why now?"

Eames kept her eyes on Goren. "I think the difference is Bobby."

Goren closed his eyes. That was exactly what the difference was. With a sigh he said, "He wants to end it, but his drive for survival is part of the curse. That's creating an enormous conflict within him, and that is where the rage is coming from. The conflict drives the rage."

"Gomez got caught in the backwash," Logan muttered. "And we are going to be caught in the storm."

"I'm afraid so. And I'm sorry about that."

Logan shrugged. "I asked to work this case with you guys, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Barek replied. "And that was one of your better moments."

"Thanks for noticing." He looked at Goren. "So don't blame yourself. Barek and I stepped into this willingly."

"He's right, Bobby," she agreed. "We're in it together and that's okay with us. We just need to be careful, to watch out for each other. We can do that. I may complain about my partner, and justifyably so, but I do like him. I'm not going to let anything happen to him, or to either of you, if I can prevent it. We can all count on the same level of backup."

A smile ghosted across his lips but his eyes remained haunted. "Thanks. I appreciate that." He shifted his gaze to his partner. "Are you all right?"

"I'm better." She hesitated a moment before she went on, "Bobby, listen to me. More than anything else, I got a sense of...raw power from this guy. Be afraid of him. I know that goes against your nature, to be afraid of a perp. But in this case, it's more than warranted. It's vital. Don't let your guard down. The worst thing you can do for any of us is to underestimate him." She got to her feet and moved over to stand in front of him. "You can't protect me from this maniac, and I don't even want you to try. Just...kill him, like he wants. Don't give him a chance. Don't hesitate. Just do it."

"Premeditated..."

"No. Don't even go there. This is premeditated survival. Because it's going to boil down to him or you. I think you know that, and he knows it, too."

In the deep brown of his eyes, she saw resolve and regret, guilt and grief, but she saw no fear, and that deeply concerned her. He turned away from her and walked to the window, looking out into the alley as he leaned his shoulder against the wall. He was missing something, something important. It wasn't in the files and it wasn't in his conscious memory. It was something forgotten or, more likely, repressed and he wasn't sure how to bring it out. On some level, he wasn't sure he wanted to, but he knew that he had to. He had been close...but how? Deep fatigue settled into his body and the throbbing in his head worsened. Pressing his head against the window frame, he closed his eyes.

He heard his name, but he couldn't muster the energy to reply. He kept his eyes closed until a hand lightly moved across the small of his back and a head gently pressed into his upper arm. Moving his arm, he slid it around her and pulled her close, forcing his eyes open to look at her. "I'm missing something," he said quietly. He nodded his head toward the papers that littered the table top. "It's not there. It's in here." He touched his temple. "I just have to find it."

"You will," she assured him. She had faith that he would; he always did.

With a weary sigh he kissed her temple. "I am so sorry. I didn't think and that placed you in grave danger. It won't happen again, I promise." He hugged her firmly and then stepped away, looking around the room wearily. "I, uh, I need to lay down for a little while. Let me know when Deakins gets here."

They watched him until he disappeared into the bedroom. When the door softly closed, Logan said, "He doesn't look so good. Did he sleep at all last night?"

"No, he didn't," Eames answered. She knew he had held her until she finally drifted off, but he hadn't slept. She knew him too well. He'd been tense and uptight, and as soon as she had fallen asleep, she knew he'd gone to work with the files, trying to figure out what was eluding him.

"What exactly was it the Wolfman said about Germany?" Logan asked.

Eames sighed. "He said that Bobby was close and that was why he targeted him as the last victim. For some reason, though, he ended up taking Harry instead. Bobby is not going to let that happen again."

"And he's trying to figure it out because the memory of what happened is lost somewhere in his mind." He sighed. "That's a lot of territory to cover."

Eames didn't answer. Silently, she sat at the table and began going through the files. She knew he hadn't missed anything, but a new pair of eyes might bring a new perspective to things. Barek and Logan didn't say anything. They simply sat down and began going through the files with her.

An hour and a half later, Eames went down the hall and slipped into the bedroom. Goren seemed to be sleeping soundly, to her relief. She had expected him to be restless, tortured as he often was by nightmares and dreams he refused to share with her. She surmised that he was simply too exhausted to dream, even after the night's events. Leaving the room to let him rest, there was no way for her to know how very wrong she was.


	18. Unacceptable Resolutions

_The rain fell mercilessly over the crime scene, washing away what little trace evidence there may have been. Intermittent flashes of lightning lit up the night sky and thunder rumbled ominously, disturbing the unnatural silence that had settled over the area. Crossing through the mud beside the path, they climbed the grassy knoll where the victim had fallen, face down in the wet grass. Dropping to his knees beside the body, Harry gently turned her over; he was always gentle with their victims. He studied her--she was a small woman, a few years younger than he was and a third his size. Even in her BDUs, he could tell she was well-muscled but still, it wouldn't have taken a big man much to overpower her. What troubled him most, though, was what he had done to her...what he had done to all his victims. Her face was beaten to a pulp, throat and stomach torn out. They saw no indication any weapon had been used, a finding confirmed by the medical examiner. After examining the body, they turned their attention to the scene, not surprised to find several tomatoes in a basket close by._

_He turned to say something to Harry and, in a flash of lightning, he saw it, half hidden among the trees. He wasn't quite sure what it was. It looked like a man and yet, it didn't. Eyes glowed yellow in a face that seemed to be covered with hair. It moved with an odd form of awkward grace that was distinctly not human. Then it met his eyes. He knew of no words to describe the effect those eyes had on him, but he wasn't afraid, though maybe he should have been. The thing turned suddenly and ran; unthinking he bolted after it. He was a fast sprinter and a seasoned runner, but even with his long, ground-eating stride he couldn't catch it. It ambled into the trees on two legs and then, breaking into the open, it dropped to all fours and took off with astonishing speed. _

_Approaching a fence at the far end of a field, it cleared the obstacle with one leap and it was gone, leaving him behind, trying to catch his breath. Harry caught up with him at the fence. "What the hell was that?"_

_He had no answer, but the fears of the locals that a werewolf was responsible for the murders ceased to amuse him after that night. He and Harry had been the only ones who saw it, and Harry, at least, questioned what they saw. It couldn't have been real. But he knew it was, even if he couldn't explain it. By mutual agreement, however, they decided to keep quiet and they never made a report of what they had seen. _

_Two weeks later, returning from a date, half-drunk and feeling good, he called Harry, wanting to meet him at the NCO club. When Harry failed to answer, he headed over to his place, a small apartment house in a quiet neighborhood not far from the base. Finding the apartment door slightly ajar, he pushed it open and called Harry's name. He always regretted not having a gun on him that night. Something charged at him from the hallway, slamming him into the wall with enough force to daze him. By the time he regained his senses, although only a few moments had passed, it was gone. But he'd seen it, up close. Yellow eyes glowed from a brown, furred face. Its fetid breath was ripe with the smell of fresh blood. Carrying itself on a powerful, compact body, it was strong enough to hit and daze a guy twice its size. And Harry was dead, just like the twelve victims who had come before him..._

He sat up suddenly, struggling to breathe and drenched in sweat. With crystal clarity, he now remembered the night of Private Garibaldi's murder...the thing he had seen and chased in the storm. The next day, he'd returned to the scene, locating a trail of unusual footprints that the trees had protected from the storm. He'd been able to follow the trail to a heavily wooded area nearby before he'd lost it. For the next two weeks, on his own time, he'd searched those woods. He wasn't sure just what he was looking for, and he never thought ahead to exactly what he would do if he found it, but he knew on some level that if he did find it, he would know. Perhaps he was fortunate that he never found it, although now he felt certain that if he had, Harry would not have died. He had never told his partner what he was doing after work, for fear Harry would make him stop his search. He had no idea, as Wolf had said, how close he had gotten. His decision, after two weeks of searching, to take a break with the local girl he had been dating, had saved his life, and ultimately cost Harry his. He had even blocked out the attack at Harry's apartment, until now...

He had no idea how long Wolf had been stalking him in New York, but it was clear to him now that he had been. His heart skipped a beat as the pieces began to fall into place. He had to talk to Kelsey.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Hey, Aaabbbooottt!_

Logan forgot he even had that movie. Leave it to Barek to find it. Maybe Abbott and Costello could lighten the mood in the apartment. He'd failed miserably and gotten chewed out by his partner. Use him as bait, hell. In another context, he might have called her on the tying him up part--it would even be worth the bruise she'd give him for it--but...

He looked down the hall as the bedroom door opened and Goren came down the hall. He didn't really look any better and a glance at Barek, seeing the pained sympathy in her eyes, told him he wasn't wrong. Eames, who knew him best, looked alarmed. His hair and shirt were dampened with sweat, and Eames knew only too well what that meant. She had checked on him too soon, before his sleep had disintegrated into nightmares. His haunted eyes grazed each in turn before settling on Eames. "We have to go talk to Kelsey."

Logan shook his head. "The captain said to stay put."

"Then stay. I need to talk to her."

He grabbed his jacket and so did Eames, followed by Barek, who told Logan, "He said stay together _first_."

With an aggravated huff, Logan grabbed his jacket, too. "If I get my ass chewed over this, I swear I'll hurt someone. Guess who that someone's gonna be, Goren..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lewis looked up from the engine he was leaning over as the four detectives approached him. "Hey, guys," he called, a genuine smile of greeting on his face.

Without preamble, Goren asked, "Where's Kelsey, Lewis?"

"In the apartment. She's not as keen on playing with cars as Steve is. What's wrong?"

Goren shook his head, chasing his friend's concern with a brief grin. "Nothing. I just need to talk to her."

Steve poked his head out from under the car. "Is everything okay?"

"For now. Don't worry."

He gave Lewis' shoulder a light punch with a grin to reassure him before he turned and walked off. After a moment of hesitation, the other three detectives followed him out of the garage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kelsey was in the kitchen when the apartment door opened. "Kelsey?"

She looked around the doorway as Goren came down the short hallway into the small living room. She smiled. "Hi, Bobby." She wasn't surprised to see Eames behind him as she said hello, but she was caught off guard by Logan and Barek. "Is everything all right?"

Goren gently guided her to the table and sat in a chair beside her. "I need you to think, Kelsey, about that party last week. The girl who was killed, Sharon...you said she was hitting on Steve and her boyfriend got mad."

"Yeah. He and two of his buddies started pushing him around. It wasn't Steve's fault and it was three on one, so I jumped in on it. I guess that pissed them off."

"You don't remember anything else?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Okay, we're assuming the boyfriend and one of his buddies took you and Steve down to Wildwood, and Sharon and the other buddy got killed."

Kelsey nodded. "That sounds reasonable."

"So the four of you were gone when the killing began?"

"Right. I would think if it all started before that Steve and I would have been forgotten."

She was bright and intuitive; his instincts about her had not been wrong. He nodded. "You said you were people watching before then."

"Yeah. I kinda get a kick out of watching people get wasted and make fools of themselves."

A ghost of a smile flittered across his face. "Close your eyes for me." She did; she trusted him completely. It was a trust that had been born in the crumbling tunnels of the sabotaged subway last spring. He touched her hand, closing his fingers around it and leaning in toward her. "Think about everyone you saw, everything they did. I need to know if you saw anyone unusual."

She let her mind travel back to the party. "You're kidding, right? After awhile they were all being weird. You know, any time you toss drugs and alcohol into the mix..." She opened her eyes. "It was a pretty wild party after awhile."

"Did anyone stand out, someone who wasn't under the influence? Something abnormally strange...not stoned strange."

She thought back, letting her mind traverse the rooms and recall the people who were hanging around in them. Her brow furrowed. "Well, there was one guy...I didn't think much of him because he wasn't being wild, you know...he wasn't drinking or anything, so he wasn't of much interest to me. He just stayed off by himself, back in the corner, watching, like I was. But at least I interacted with people. I never saw him talk to anyone."

"What did he look like?"

"I'm not sure. He must have been cold or something because he was all bundled up. I couldn't see his face because his collar was all turned up, and he had dark glasses on. I just figured his eyes were hurting because he was using. Some people don't get nuts on drugs. They just get all...quiet. So he just sat there and no one paid him any mind, me included. He just wasn't interesting."

"Was he a big guy?"

"Like you? No. I could tell that much. I'd guess he was about average, or maybe a little on the small side. It was hard to tell exactly. He was across the room and there were a lot more interesting people to watch, to be honest with you."

Goren sat back, thinking. One more week...and his gut told him Steve and Kelsey were his intended victims this time around, which put Lewis in danger as well. But his survival instinct was not going to make Wolf very easy to apprehend. Apprehend...no, he didn't want to be caught. When it came down to the bottom line, he wanted it to be over. He wanted his curse ended; Wolf wanted to die.

"Bobby?"

He looked at her as his eyes cleared and he rested his hand on her shoulder. "I, um, I want you to stay close to Lewis and Steve for the time being."

"You think this nut is still after us."

He nodded. "Yes. I do. Come on. We'll take you down to the shop."

Her hand closed on his arm. "I am not going to walk around scared of my own shadow. This is just nuts. How dangerous can this guy be?"

Goren was silent for a moment. "He's dangerous, Kelsey. Very dangerous. Consider that he murdered six people in a crowd of several hundred, and not only did no one stop him, but no one reported it. That's how freaked out they were. This guy is...bad news."

She studied his face. It was in her nature to never accept anything at face value, but she trusted Goren. "You think you can protect us from this level of threat?"

"I know we're going to do everything we can. You'll be safe. But you have to listen to us."

He wasn't about to let anything happen to them, or to Lewis...but in order to get this guy before more lives were lost, he might have to put them at risk. That was unacceptable to him, but there might not be any other way. If they became inaccessible, Wolf would find secondary victims and there was no telling where in the city he would strike. They were running out of time.

Goren's phone rang as they were heading back to the car. He winced at the name _Deakins_ on the caller ID and flipped it open. "Goren."

There was no mistaking the anger in the captain's voice. "Where are you?"

"Just leaving Lewis' garage."

"How did you misinterpret 'stay put,' Goren?"

"I, uh, I didn't. But something came up and I had to talk to Kelsey."

"Where are the other three?"

"They're here with me. We're staying together."

Deakins let out a heavy breath, still clearly irritated. "Pick a place and stay there, dammit."

"He's not going to strike in daylight, Captain, and he's not likely to do anything for a few more days yet. What happened this morning...that was driven by rage. He's still in control; he didn't kill Gomez. But we have strong reason to believe that Steve and Kelsey are his next intended victims."

"Really? I'll wait for you here at Logan's and I'll want a full report when you get here."

"We'll be there shortly." He closed the phone and got into the car. "He's waiting for us at Mike's."

"Is he pissed?" Logan asked tentatively.

"Not any more, I don't think, but he wants a full report."

"That'll be fun, especially once he gets a load of your face."

Eames started the car. "Well, we're stopping at the store before we get there. I am not opening your can of potted meat without full HazMat gear, Logan."

Deakins was pacing the hallway when they arrived. He eyed the grocery bags and Barek said, "Let's just say that Logan will never be mistaken for Emeril. He has no vermin living here because there's nothing for them to live on."

In spite of his irritation at the wayward detectives, Deakins laughed. Then he saw Goren's face. "Do I want to know what happened to you?" Logan snorted as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. "What did you do, Logan?"

"Not me, skipper. Eames."

"Eames?" He looked at her and then at Goren, who was glaring angrily at Logan as he disappeared into the kitchen with two paper sacks of groceries, clearly please that he wasn't the one in trouble for a change. Once inside the apartment, Deakins said, "Let's hear it."

Goren sighed, casting a look at his partner as she took the grocery bag from his arms, letting her fingers affectionately graze his side. He watched her as she disappeared into the kitchen. Deakins was waiting, arms crossed. Goren explained everything that had happened during the night, finishing up as Eames emerged from the kitchen. Deakins looked at her. "I apologized," she said defensively. "Even if he did deserve it."

Goren sank miserably onto the couch. There was so much running through his head at the moment he wasn't sure where to focus his thoughts. Eames sat down beside him. Her heart went out to him and she reached out and lightly touched the back of his hand. He took an uneven breath, turning his hand over to give hers a light squeeze before he withdrew it and propped his elbows on his knees. Wearily, he scrubbed his face with both hands. Deakins was pacing again, reeling from the report he had just received. "Okay, listen to me." Barek and Logan came from the kitchen to listen. "Until further notice, I want the four of you to stick together. This is not a friendly suggestion. I am very serious. No more nighttime rambling. Do you understand me?"

Goren didn't have to look up to know the captain's eyes were on him. He just nodded; he heard the others agree. "I am going to check on Gomez now. I'll call later. Remember what I said, and please, stay put."

Once the captain was gone, Goren softly sighed and said, "He won't strike before Thursday night, but my gut says we need to hold him off until the last possible moment. By Monday night, his lust for blood will be driving him insane. He won't be able to wait any longer, and he'll get careless."

Logan said, "Won't he be more dangerous then?"

"Much more dangerous, yes."

"And we want to do that, why?"

"It's the best way we have of getting him."

"By pissing him off? Nice plan. Anybody got anything better?"

Barek elbowed him. "Do you have an idea, Bobby?"

He nodded slowly. "And if it doesn't work, he'll break pattern again and finish up his cycle with the blood of his thirteen victims, all shed in just two weeks' time."


	19. Ruminations

He was glad she was able to sleep. Even more than that, he was grateful that she had been able to help him get to sleep. She didn't suffer under the delusion that he would sleep peacefully all night; she knew him better than that. But she also knew him well enough to know what she needed to do to help him sleep for at least a few hours. Now he was awake. Initially, exhaustion and her gentle ministrations had enabled him to fall into a regenerating, dreamless slumber, which he'd desperately needed. That was followed, however, by haunting nightmares that were part memory, part apprehension. He relived Harry's murder and his sporadic encounters with Wolf back in Germany as well as more recently in New York.

In a city of over eight million people, it was unreasonable to expect every resident to be a normal, average person. There were those small percentages of the extraordinary and the unusual. Wolf had many years of practice at not standing out among the people around him. The fact that he had gone so long undetected did not surprise him. He would likely have been less successful in small town America, but in a city like New York, and probably every other large city in the nation, he was able to fade into the background unnoticed.

He pulled her closer, tightening his arms protectively around her. He was fully aware that as he would do anything to protect her, so would she protect him. It was what partners did, but more than that, love would drive them to go to further lengths to keep each other safe. If they would put their lives on the line, and even lay them down if required, for any one of eight million strangers, how far would either of them go for the one they loved? He didn't have to contemplate that question because he knew the answer. Leaning closer, he gave her a tender kiss. She sighed and snuggled deeper into his arms, which he welcomed. She settled her head into the hollow of his shoulder and rested her arm along the midline of his body with her hand splayed open on his chest. Her leg lay draped over his with her abdomen pressed against his side. His arm folded across her back and side with his hand resting comfortably on her hip. He kissed her forehead just above the bridge of her nose, and he sighed, almost content. It was peaceful right now, but it wasn't going to last. When all was said and done, he prayed they both would be alive to enjoy more moments like this one. These were times he treasured above all others because they were rare, although, with her, he enjoyed them more often than he ever had before in his life. He wanted more of them, many more, and when that sniggering voice at the back of his mind called him selfish, he chased it away with a silent curse and placed another kiss on her forehead. It couldn't be selfish when he felt more pleasure at the look in her eyes and her soft sighs than he did at the unfamiliar feeling of contentment in his own heart.

But back to the matter at hand, which was two-fold. First and foremost, they had lives to protect, the lives of three people who were important to them: Steve, Kelsey and Lewis. _Lewis_. The familiar pang of guilt stabbed him. Lewis had no business being part of this, but he was because he had unknowingly dragged him into the center of it. The second part of the task was dealing with Wolf. This was a continuation of something that had begun eighteen years before. There was no way for him to know how close he had come to finding the cursed man, but it was something Wolf had never forgotten. What he did realize now was that he and Wolf were locked in a mortal struggle from which only one could emerge alive, and there was no guarantee either would. Goren, however, had an edge, and he knew it. Eames, Barek and Logan. But would they give him enough of an edge to save his life? Maybe not. Either way, though, he was determined to end the curse so Wolf could finally know peace. Where he should feel anger, or even hatred, he only found pity. He knew what it was to be tormented, even if his demons never drove him to kill. It was time to end Wolf's suffering.

The streets were damp from recent rain. The alley smelled of garbage, liberally laced with the scents of cat and rat. He turned toward movement at the far end of the alley and snarled. A hiss and throaty growl replied, then the cat was gone. There were plenty of alleys. His presence made this one undesirable, which was fine with him. He returned his attention to the window across the street. From the roof of the building beside him, he'd watched them sleep. He knew what had taken place before the woman had opened the curtains and the window. Pretty little one, feeling safe three stories up, in the arms of her man. Only one thing gave her any safety. How ironic that her protection was also, ultimately, what placed her in danger to begin with, and that was Goren. He was the target. It should have been his blood shed as the thirteenth victim two cycles ago. He had a rare opportunity to claim a missed victim...no, not just one, but three, if the couple from last week remained accessible. They were all being delivered into his hands, along with three more victims to make the cycle complete. Normally he would take his time, space it out over twelve weeks, then during the next cycle, he would fall back to four weeks. But he could finish this up in a few days and the curse would sleep for nine more years. The trick would be making sure Goren's was the last life he took. It wasn't going to be easy, particularly in the throes of the bloodlust, which he could now feel building once again.

A few more days and he would be normal again, able to move on, to the West Coast this time, where he would build a solitary life for the next nine years until the time came to take his next thirteen victims. Unless...Goren had come close to finding him in the forests of Germany when he went into hiding after the curse awakened. Goren was smart and he was fearless, or foolish; even now he wasn't sure which. But either could serve him when the time came. He had lived with this curse for many years, and he wasn't certain which was the worst part of it, the nine year cycle of bloodlust and animal urges, or the longevity which went along with it. Longevity bordering on immortality. He had tried to ignore the urge to kill but the bloodlust was too powerful. And he could not take his life by his own hand. He'd tried and every time it had been an unmitigated disaster that he survived. He spent the years between the curse searching for a reversal, so he could age and live out the remainder of a normal life span without cycling through this horror. He had come to the conclusion that the only way to end the curse was with his death, and the instrument of his death, he was now certain, was Goren. He knew he would be driven to protect his accursed life, and that he did regret. Long ago, another man of peace, a constable named Maier in Bavaria had come close, the closest anyone had ever come. He had been six months convalescing and he had deeply regretted taking that man's life. He would regret taking this cop's life as deeply, and the pretty little one's, too. He would have to learn her name before he killed her. Thrusting his hand into his coat pocket, he pulled out a tomato and took a bite. God, he hated tomatoes.


	20. Letting Her in A Little More

She turned over in her sleep, searching for him, but he wasn't there. She opened her eyes, looking around the dark room. He had pulled on a pair of sweats and was now standing by the window, watching the rain fall in the quiet neighborhood. "Bobby?" she called softly.

He looked toward the bed. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"With your silence? No. With you absence over here? Kind of."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Come here."

He didn't hesitate. When he sat down, he leaned over to give her a kiss, but he was still distracted. She let her fingers lightly stroke his back and he softly sighed. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"I know." She was silent for a few minutes, but she continued to caress his skin. Finally, she spoke again. "You found it, didn't you?"

"Found what?"

She touched his temple. "What you were missing."

He let his breath out softly. "Yes. I found it."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Do I want to? No. Do I have to? Unfortunately."

"So it's unfortunate that you have to share your memories with me?"

She couldn't quite keep the annoyance from her voice and he sighed. She had been trying to get him to open up to her, to share with her the nightmares that disturbed his sleep and the memories that came back to haunt him, but he was reluctant. It wasn't because he didn't trust her because he did. It wasn't because he didn't love her because he certainly did. So what was the problem? He did not believe that sharing them would lessen their intensity or make them go away. They would come to haunt her as well, and he didn't want that. Not at all. The other part of it was: he didn't want to see any pity in her eyes. He couldn't take that. He turned to fully face her. "That isn't it."

She sighed. "Then what? Why don't you want to let me in?"

He frowned. "Let you in? Alex, I have let you in further than anyone else has ever been. If it's not good enough..."

"Don't you dare play those games with me."

He fell silent and leaned back against the headboard. He knew better. But dammit... "I'm sorry. I don't try to keep you out. But the things that trouble me..." He shook his head. "I don't want that for you. And...I don't want you to feel sorry for me. Don't say you wouldn't. You have no idea what my childhood was like, and I want to keep it that way. Trust me on this one."

She sighed. Maybe someday he would trust her enough to share it with her. She didn't understand that, in this case, trust was not his issue. "All right, Goren. Then tell me what you're willing to share."

Her tone hurt. "Maybe you should go back to sleep, Eames."

He got up and went back to the window, and the same defensiveness she felt whenever he withdrew from her surged to the surface. She was tempted to turn over and do as he suggested. But this was not going to get either of them anywhere, so she fought down the irritation and spoke softly, to smooth over his hurt feelings. "I'm sorry, Bobby. I admit I don't understand where you're coming from. But can you at least understand me?"

He didn't answer right away, but finally he nodded. "I do understand."

"Will you come back over here?" This time he did hesitate. "Please."

He finally left the window and returned to her side. She pushed herself up to sit against the headboard, pulling the blanket up around her, and hugged her legs. And she waited, resting her chin on her knees. When he was ready, he would tell her what she needed to know. She wasn't sure how much time had passed before he finally leaned back against the headboard beside her. "I..." He stopped. "It was my fault, Eames."

"What was?"

"Harry...should not have died."

"Did you kill him?"

"What? No, of course not."

"Then how was it your fault?"

"I was his chosen victim, not Harry. If I had been in the forest that night..."

"You would have died in the forest that night. Are you saying you would rather be dead?"

She didn't have to look at him to see the frown on his face. "I didn't say that."

"But you think if he had gotten to you instead, he wouldn't have killed you? Bobby, you may think you are invincible, but I have a news flash for you. You're not..and thinking you are _will_ get you killed. That's one of those teen-age mindsets you never let go."

He let his breath out in a huff and she knew he was annoyed, but he let it go. "I saw him, at the crime scene of the twelfth victim, and I chased him. I never caught him, but I knew where he was hiding out. So every night for the next two weeks, I went into the forest looking for him."

"Did Harry know?"

"Hell, no. He would have put a stop to it. Or else he'd have launched a manhunt and we'd have lost him for sure. I felt our best bet was for me to find him."

"And then what?"

He shrugged. "I never thought that far ahead. I just wanted to find him so he could be stopped. I didn't know his cycle. I had no idea two weeks had to pass and that he needed only one more victim to put the curse to rest for another decade. I didn't know I was his next victim, that I would have died that night if I hadn't managed to make myself unavailable."

"How were you unavailable?"

"I was tired and I needed a break, so I went out that night with a local girl I'd been dating. When I got home, I called Harry. I wanted to meet him for some drinks. He didn't answer the phone, so I went over to his apartment. Wolf was still there. H-he hit me, hard enough to daze me, and he was gone, but Harry was dead."

"Did Harry suspect what you were doing?"

"I don't think so. We'd grab some dinner after work and when he went home, I went into the forest." He shrugged. "I wanted to find this guy."

"So guilt was suppressing these memories over all these years. You think you're responsible for Harry's death."

He answered her with his silence. She didn't say anything because anything she might say would only serve to further his withdrawal. She knew the sensitive position he was in right now. Vulnerable. It wasn't often he shared something like this with her, and she had to let him know that it was all right. So she said nothing. Instead, she turned herself toward him and began to gently rub his chest. She rested her cheek against his shoulder and continued, in silence, to gently caress his skin. She smiled when he began to relax; she could feel the tension fade from his muscles. He kissed her forehead, slowly making his way down her face until he reached her mouth. Weaving her fingers into his hair, she yielded to him, sensing the urgency rippling just at the edge of his control. With a soft groan and a gentle thrust of her body against his, she gave him what he sought—permission to let go.


	21. Drawing Wolf Out

Bacon. He took a deep breath. Yep, it was bacon. He lifted his head and smacked it on the underside of the coffee table. "Damn!" Rubbing his head, he wondered how he got under the table. "Barek!"

"Good morning, Mike."

"Did you move the coffee table?"

"I didn't have to. You rolled under it all by yourself."

He got up and threw his blanket onto the couch. Muttering under his breath, he headed into the kitchen where he stepped around Barek at the stove and Eames at the sink to pour himself a cup of coffee. "How about we find this freak and do whatever it is we have to do so I can have my bed back?"

Barek looked at him. "Lead us to him, Logan."

He frowned. "We've had this conversation before and I ended up being offered as bait."

He looked over his partner's shoulder at the breakfast she was cooking. Eames grinned at him. "Do you like having food in the place, Mike?"

"Sure, it's great...if I have someone to cook it. Either of you want to marry me?"

"Sorry," Eames answered. "I'm spoken for."

Barek laughed. "In your dreams, Logan."

"You know it, baby," he replied, laughing as he ran from the kitchen when she turned toward him brandishing the fork she was using to turn the bacon. From the safety of the living room, he called, "Where's the big guy? He go for another walk?"

"He knows better," Eames answered. "He's still sleeping."

"How'd you manage that trick...or don't I want to know?"

"No secret. I clubbed him over the head."

"I wouldn't put it past you after that shiner you gave him."

Barek looked around the corner at him. "That was a love tap, Logan. You want one?"

"I hope no one ever loves me that much, thank you. I think I'll just resign myself to a life of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cold cereal." He took a chance on returning to the kitchen for more coffee. "Can I wake Goren?"

"Why?" Eames asked. "He'll be up soon."

"This whole 'I have a plan' idea with no details has me nervous."

"Oh, come on, Logan. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I left it in the produce section of the supermarket. I may never eat another tomato."

Barek handed him a plate. "Here. Eat your breakfast and quit complaining."

"Think you can win me over with food?"

"I know I can, but right now I'm just trying to shut you up."

He took the plate and laughed as he sat down at the table with it. He was halfway through eating when Goren came down the hall from the bedroom. "You look a lot better. Feel better?"

"Depends on what you mean by that."

"Never mind; don't explain. Just get breakfast and sit down here and tell me about this plan of yours to catch Wolf Boy."

As he sat down, Eames set a plate in front of him. "Feeling better?"

He met her eyes, and she wasn't sure how to interpret his look. But he nodded and she lightly touched his cheek. He watched her walk back in to the kitchen and sighed softly. A few moments later, she returned with a plate of her own, Barek right behind her. "Okay, Bobby," Barek said. "Let's hear what you have to say."

"Two weeks," he said. "He'll be feeling the urge to kill starting to build, and he's not going to be able to put it off for long. A few days at most. The longer he waits, the more...vicious his attack is going to be. He's going to look for Steve and Kelsey, so we are going to have to use them to draw him out."

Eames stared at him. "You can't be serious."

"He prefers his primary targets, but he has already proven he will settle for secondary targets if he has to. I don't want that to happen. Enough lives have been lost. We'll wait until the last minute to use them, but I'm not exactly sure what the last minute is, so we're going to have to guess. The longer we can put him off, the more desperate he'll get. Desperation will make him careless."

"Suppose we miscalculate and he goes after another target?" Barek asked.

"Then we have two weeks to come up with another plan," Logan answered.

Goren shook his head slowly. "I don't think he's going to give up...if he can find out where they are."

"No, Bobby..." Eames protested.

"You're going to dangle them like a carrot before a hungry pony, aren't you?" Logan said.

"Are you absolutely sure we can protect them?" Barek asked.

"We have no choice. We have to draw him out, and they are the only bait we have. As attractive as it may sound to chain Logan to a lightpole, he's not the target Wolf is seeking. We have to use them and we have to protect them, at all costs."

Logan shook his head. "No wonder you kept this to yourself. As a plan, it sucks."

"Got a better one? I'm all ears if you do."

"Now you ask for my opinion, when I got nothing."

Eames studied her partner. "How do we bait him?"

"If he hasn't found them by Sunday, we send them out for a walk near Logan's place. We know Wolf has been watching us there. He'll follow them back to Lewis'."

"That's very risky."

"He's not going to make himself known. I'll stay nearby, just in case."

"You?"

"He's not going to touch me until after he takes his twelfth victim. I'll be fine."

"Suppose something happens and we can't protect them?"

The steely determination in his eyes made her flinch. "That is not an option, Eames."

"I agree with Logan," she said, frustrated with him. "This plan sucks."

Goren threw his hands out, palms up. "Let's hear a better one. If you can tell me how to do this any other way, I'll jump on it. If not, then it's all we have and we have to run with it. We just better make damn sure we don't trip and fall."

"That's a big order," Logan muttered. He studied his hands for a moment. "All right, man...what do we do?"

* * *

The four detectives sat around a table in a small restaurant in Long Island City, about four blocks from Lewis' apartment. They had been spending every night since Thursday watching the place. During the day, two unmarked cars were stationed there. Between ten and eleven at night, another unmarked car relieved one team while they relieved the other. The fact that they'd heard no more from Wolf was sending Goren's anxiety level through the roof. Conversation with him was brief and distracted. Eames knew he didn't realize he was being that way, and she was trying hard to be understanding. She knew he was worried about how this was going to play out, and he was feeling guilty about endangering Kelsey and Steve. He felt particularly bad about the risk to Lewis, who had no role in this whatsoever beyond his friendship with Bobby. He now regretted asking him to let Kelsey and Steve stay with him. Of course, Lewis brushed off any apologies; he was glad to help and he genuinely liked the young couple. And Kelsey and Steve were both eager to help, in spite of the risk; they trusted him. They had readily gone out that morning, walking in the neighborhood near Logan's, around through Goren's neighborhood, which wasn't far, and then by subway back to Long Island City and Lewis' apartment. Goren had followed at a discrete distance and was pleased that they had gotten over their understandable reluctance to ride the subway, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Kelsey, however, was deeply unsettled, and Goren took that as a sign that Wolf was nearby. 

Eames knew he was anxious to get on with this and the stress of waiting was getting to him. She had let him retreat only so far; she was not going to let him withdraw any further. It was time to break through and make contact.

Halfway through the meal, Eames nudged him. No reaction, so she nudged him harder. He looked up from the file at her, his eyes questioning. She sighed to herself. "Are you going to eat?"

The look on his face told her he'd forgotten they were even in a restaurant. She reached over and gently took the file from him, giving him a look that dared him to object. He did not take the dare. She closed the file and slid it onto the chair underneath her, sitting firmly on top of it, again daring him to do something about it. He just looked away. Reaching toward him, she rested her hand on his arm, squeezing firmly until he finally looked back at her. "You have been getting more and more difficult and I think it's time you stopped treating us like we don't exist."

He frowned. "I haven't..."

Logan nearly choked on the bite of pork chop in his mouth. "Excuse me," he said once he'd swallowed. "Does anything outside that file even register with you? You've been an ass, Goren."

His eyes shifted to Barek, who nodded. Then he looked back at Eames. "I..." He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I...you should have said something."

"I tried to. You told me to shut up and I almost punched you again."

"I never told you to shut up."

"Not in those words, no. But your manner and your tone spoke volumes."

"You took it wrong," he said defensively.

Logan snorted. "How to you misinterpret 'Bug off'?"

"I meant _that_."

Barek laughed, stifling it quickly when her partner glared at her. "You did ask for that one," she said. "You were _trying_ to annoy him."

"Well, it was better than being ignored."

"Then don't complain."

Goren looked at his plate, then he met Eames' eyes. "I, uh, I really am sorry."

"I know. But where did it get you?"

With a sigh, he answered, "It just gave me a bigger headache."

He studied the food on his plate until Logan said, "That's food, Bobby. Remember? You put it in your mouth, and chew and swallow it. Maybe your headache will get better if you try it."

Barek added, "You can't survive for long on coffee and an occasional danish."

When Eames slid her hand onto his thigh, he closed his eyes. Softly, she said, "Please eat."

He closed his hand over hers and looked at her. "It's going to be over soon. He won't be able to wait another twenty-four hours." His eyes shifted toward Logan and Barek. "This is your last chance to back out. He will not go after you as long as you don't go home until this is over. He's not going to go looking for you."

Logan replied, "You're safe until he takes his twelfth victim."

"Eames isn't."

Firmly, Barek said, "We're not going anywhere."

Logan nodded his agreement. "I made a commitment when I opened my big mouth, and I don't back out on my word. However this plays out, we're in it till the end."

Although he wasn't hungry, Goren forced himself to eat about half his dinner. His mind was circling the case like a vulture over a kill, and now he couldn't force it away from the fact that the fate that awaited them all somehow depended on him.

They lingered over their meal until after ten, when the restaurant closed. Then they made their way to the black Explorer and headed back to the street where Lewis lived. The lights were off in the apartment as they pulled into the alley behind the building. Eames turned off the engine and shut off the lights while Goren radioed for one of the unmarked cars to go home, verifying that the other was in position at the front of the building. And so they sat in silence, waiting, as they had for the past four nights, for something to happen.

Well past midnight, Logan broke the silence, asking, "Does this guy even know where we are?"

"I don't know. But if he doesn't show up tonight, he's going to choose another target and wait two more weeks to come after us."

"No way...call him and tell him where we are. I am not putting up with you for another two weeks...not the way you've been. I'll step out into the street with a friggin' flag and wave his ass down."

"Quit ranting," Barek told him. "We'll deal with whatever comes along, whether we like it or not."

"I won't like it," he replied sullenly.

Goren turned to face him. "I apologized," he said. "What more do you want?"

"Okay, that's enough," Eames finally stepped in. "Arguing is going to get us no where. Now pay attention."

"To what?" Logan snapped. "There's a rat over there almost as big as the dog I had when I was a kid. And a flickering streetlight at the end of the alley. What do you...oh, shit...please tell me I'm seeing things..."

He wasn't seeing things; the others saw it, too. Quietly, Goren said, "I'll go. You follow after ten."

"Bobby..." Eames started to protest.

He touched her arm. "Six more victims. I'm still safe."

He met her eyes and touched her cheek. No words were necessary. He slipped out of the car and vanished into the shadows of the alley. After counting to ten as slowly as she could, Eames said, "Let's go."

They got out of the SUV and headed into the alley where Goren had vanished a few brief moments before.


	22. Final Showdown

He heard the door splinter as he ran down the hall, followed by a growling noise that made his stomach flop. Gun drawn, he burst through the ruined door. "Wolf!"

The man turned as he reached Kelsey, yellow eyes glowing. He knew what Goren represented, and the survival instinct that was part of his curse roared like a fire in his brain. "No!" he screamed, charging at Goren.

He hit the big cop with the full force of his body, knocking him back into the hall as he dug sharpened nails into yielding flesh. Goren hit the wall hard and slumped to the floor as Wolf took off down the hall, shoving his way past the three detectives who were just cresting the top of the stairs. Hauling himself to his feet, hand pressed against his side and ignoring the warm, sticky fluid that ran over his fingers, Goren ran after the fleeing man. A shot echoed in the stairwell, followed by a terrifying howl of rage.

Kelsey ran toward the door, shoving Steve ahead of her. He and Lewis struggled to stop her, but she was having none of it. She was not going to leave the detectives on their own against..._that_. The more of a force they had against it, the better to her mind. She grabbed Lewis and yanked him through the door into the hall.

"What are you doing, Kelsey?" he yelled, afraid he already knew the answer.

She met his eyes. "Do you want to bury them?"

She shoved them both toward the stairs before running past them. Not given any choice, they ran after her. They were not far behind the four detectives, who were just managing to keep Wolf in sight as he headed in the direction of the river. The entrance to Gantry Plaza State Park loomed before them, and Wolf ran out onto the fishing pier at the far side of the park. Then he turned to make his stand. Seven victims. He could resume the peace of his inter-curse life after tonight. One of two things would happen. Either he would take these seven lives and go on with his cursed existence, or Goren and his friends would end that existence. He snarled and quickly took in the position of the four in front of him and the three behind them. The last thing the cops expected was for him to charge at them. Hitting Logan hard, he ran at Kelsey. Eames grabbed Logan by his jacket before he tumbled off the pier. "Thanks," he muttered, jumping to his feet as Goren and Barek ran past them.

Wolf hit Kelsey hard, knocking the wind out of her as he landed on top of her. She managed to twist and he sank his teeth into her shoulder instead of her throat. Without hesitation, Lewis and Steve rammed into him, knocking him off her. Steve yelled in pain as his leg twisted beneath him, and Wolf rolled away from them, jumping to his feet. Dodging Barek, he hit Eames, who landed wrong on her left arm. A sickening snap was followed by blinding pain and she cried out, ffor a moment unable to struggle against the pressure of the body on top of hers.

Logan grabbed Wolf from behind and yanked hard as sharp teeth met the soft skin of Eames' throat. Wolf felt himself falling backwards and he shoved with his powerful legs to continue tumbling over the detective whose arm was folded over his throat, breaking his hold. Scrambling to his feet, he hit Goren hard as he ran toward Eames, and he scurried past Logan to grab Barek, knocking the gun from her hand. Goren's body slammed into one of the scattered lightpoles that lined the pier and Eames waved him off before he could continue in her direction. He turned back to where Wolf had a firm hold of Barek. As she twisted, he again missed his mark, sinking his teeth into her upper arm.

They were near the end of the pier by now as Barek struggled to break his grip. Goren and Logan hit him at the same time, knocking Barek off to the side. She grabbed onto a pylon and held tight to keep from falling into the river as a gunshot rang out, punctuating Wolf's growls. A second shot sounded as the momentum of their bodies carried the three men over the end of the pier and into the water.

Eames grabbed Barek and helped her to safety, ignoring the pain shooting through her arm and the blood running down the front of her shirt. The two women ran to the end of the pier and looked into the swirling black water, but there was no sign of either of their partners.

They looked at one another, seeing their own fears mirrored in the other's eyes. But neither was foolish enough to dive into the powerful currents of the river. Eames pulled out her phone as she followed Barek toward Kelsey and the two men further down the pier. Giving her name and badge number, she called in their location and told the dispatcher they had shots fired and two detectives and a suspect down in the East River, adding there were injuries and paramedics would be needed on scene. Then she called Deakins.

Steve was sitting behind Kelsey, his arms around her, protecting her by holding her against him. He didn't want her diving into the river after the two detectives. "They're gone, Kelse," he murmured to her. "Let the people trained for it go after them."

She struggled not to cry, but she couldn't keep the tears from streaming down her face. Eames knelt on one side of her, Barek on the other. Lewis dropped to his knees beside Eames. "Detective Alex?" he said softly.

She looked at him, seeing the question in his eyes. "I don't know, Lewis. You know the river." She took a deep breath. "They'll send the river patrol and divers. Bobby and Mike are both strong swimmers. That's all I can tell you."

"The water's cold," Kelsey added. "And the currents are strong." She took an uneven breath. "Bobby was hurt; did you see that?"

Eames looked alarmed. "Hurt how?"

"His side was bleeding. I saw the blood in the hall, and he was holding his side before the fight began."

Eames met Barek's eyes, her jaw knotting. They turned their attention to Kelsey's badly torn shoulder and no one said any more.

It wasn't long before flashing lights lit up the pier from the shore as well as from the river. Three ambulances arrived and the paramedics got busy treating their injuries. Stitches would be needed, and both Eames and Steve needed further treatment for their injured limbs, but they all refused to leave. Deakins arrived not long after that.

He approached the small group, looking from one detective to the other. "They went over the end of the pier? With the suspect?"

"Not intentionally," Eames answered defensively, her splinted arm resting in a sling.

Barek said, "Wolf was on me, and they both took him down. They were just too close to the end of the pier."

The captain headed down the pier to where half a dozen police boats idled. Two of them engaged their engines and roared off downriver. Dressed in blue military gear with the bars of a lieutenant on his collar, the officer in charge jumped up onto the pier and extended a hand to Deakins. "Good to see you, Jimmy. How are you?"

"Worried at the moment, Paul."

He introduced Eames and Barek to Paul Teague, the search commander. Teague motioned toward the water. "I just sent two crews downriver with half a dozen divers on each boat. Four more divers went in the water here. If your boys are still in the water, we'll find them."

He called over his shoulder to one of the crew members on the command vessel. Several blankets were brought to him and he handed them to the two detectives. Deakins helped each of them drape a blanket over their shoulders, trying to offer them encouragement that he did not feel himself. The radio on Teague's belt came to life and he spoke into it. Then he looked at Deakins and the women. "We have a body, a quarter of a mile downriver."


	23. Bulldozer

Dawson McKenna opened the door of his apartment and looked around for his roommate. His eyes perused the living room. Bookcases were bolted to the walls and other than the coffee table in the middle of the room and the couch off to the side, decorations were sparse. It wasn't because of the two-year-old son he saw every weekend and twice during the week, either. It was because of the hundred-plus-pound Newfoundland mix that came loping down the hall to greet him. His name was Bulldozer for a good reason.

"Okay, okay, Dozer. I know I'm late. Let me get changed and we'll go out."

Dozer obediently stepped away after liberally slobbering all over McKenna's face and sat down beside the front door, looking at his leash. "Stay there."

McKenna hated coming home late. Paperwork back at the precinct had kept him out tonight. Paperwork... the bane of every cop's existence. Protect the public and then cover your ass...a basic tenet of policework these days. He went into the bedroom, removed his weapon from its holster and took off his gunbelt. He put the gun in the small gun safe in the closet and quickly changed into sweats and running shoes. In the kitchen, he grabbed a glass of lemonade, stuck his cell phone and several plastic grocery bags in the pocket of his jacket and took the leash off the wall. From the floor beside the door he picked up a glow-in-the-dark ball. "Ready, boy?"

Opening the door, he followed the dog into the hall.

* * *

Deakins stepped to the end of the pier as the patrol boat pulled up against it from downriver. He and Teague helped haul the body up onto the pier. He knew right off that it wasn't one of his detectives. The body was too small. Powerful flashlight beams lit up the man's features and he looked at Eames and Barek. Eames nodded. "That's Wolf." She looked at Barek after examining the body. Whether he drowned or died of the two gunshot wounds to his torso was irrelevant. The man was dead, and he had been right about one thing. It had been her partner who was the agent, at least in part, of his demise. "It's over for him. Now, he's free of his curse."

"At what cost, Alex? Where are Mike and Bobby?"

Silently, Eames looked out over the cold, black water and shivered, but it wasn't from the cold or the pain of her injuries. Barek was right. At what cost?

* * *

The current swirled viciously and its surface gave way to the man who broke through it. He gasped for breath and struggled with a burden beneath the surface, pulling another body into the open air. He kicked against the current, swimming slowly for the shore, pulling the unconscious body along with him, carefully keeping both their heads above water. He couldn't tell if the other man was breathing or not, so he kicked harder. With difficulty, he reached the shore and struggled to pull the bigger man from the water. He shivered in the night air, breathing a sigh of relief when the other man gasped as water spilled from his nose and mouth. He rolled him onto his side and then collapsed over his body and both of them were still.

* * *

Dozer charged after the ball and brought it back to McKenna, who threw it again. Dozer ran after it, then stopped, lifting his head and sniffing the air. McKenna frowned. _Oh, no_...the last time he'd done that down here by the river, he'd found a couple of dead fish and rolled on them. It took nearly a week of daily baths to get the smell out of his coat. "Aw, Dozer, not again." He ran after the dog. "I swear you're gonna be sleeping in the bathroom, dog..."

He froze when he saw the dark shape at the water's edge. It couldn't be some clothes washed up on the shoreline, of course not. As he ran toward the form his dog was gently snuffling, the first thought in his head was _Great, my damn dog is mucking up a crime scene._

"Back off, Dozer."

He knelt beside the two men and first felt for a pulse in each as he pulled out his phone. They were both alive, at least for the moment. He called to dispatch, gave his badge number and location, and told them he needed paramedics for two men who looked like they'd washed up out of the river. He wondered what they'd been doing in the river in the first place.

Slipping the phone back into his pocket, he examined them for injury and searched for any form of identification. Gently, he rolled one body off the other, catching a glimpse of gold on the man's belt. He moved the jacket and swore to himself. Reaching over to move the other man's jacket, he saw the same gold shield on his belt, only his was covered with blood. _Great...a narcotics sting gone bad...why the hell did I leave my gun at home?_

He pulled his phone back out and called dispatch to send a car, that the two men on the bank of the river were theirs. He read off their badge numbers and closed the phone again. Pushing the second man's jacket open further, he saw the nasty slash marks in his side. _Knifed and dumped...I'll be up the rest of the night filing out forms, dammit._ He ran his hand absently over his dog's head. "Good boy, Dozer."

Paperwork or not, these guys were brother officers, and Dozer had probably saved their lives. In this chill, wet from the river and weakened from God-knew-what, they would have been dead by daybreak. Unable to provide much in the way of first aid, McKenna sat beside the two men and waited for the ambulance to arrive.

* * *

Teague picked up his radio and keyed the mike. "You guys got anything?"

"Not a thing, boss. We've got six divers back up. Want me to send them back down?"

"Affirmative. Keep looking. Extend the search another mile downriver."

"Ten-four."

He looked at his watch, and then at Deakins. "It's been forty-five minutes, Jimmy. I'll make this your call. They're your boys."

Deakins nodded. "Keep looking, Paul."

The captain resumed pacing back and forth at the end of the pier. Under protest, Lewis had cajoled Steve and Kelsey to go to the hospital to get treated. No amount of coercion, however, could make Eames and Barek budge. He made a coffee run, and now he waited with them. Eames watched him shiver in the cold breeze that blew off the river. She handed him a blanket. "Why don't you go home, Lewis? I'll call you."

"Because he's my oldest friend, Detective Alex. That's why."

She nodded. She understood that. Cradling her injured arm, she sat down one of the empty crates that Teague had retrieved from the boats. Lewis was sitting on the pier, hugging his legs, and she gently ruffled a hand through his hair. "He'll come out of this," she tried to reassure him.

"After all he's been through, it sure would suck if this is what did him in."

Eames didn't doubt that. She looked up at Barek, who had been silent for most of the time they'd spent waiting. She felt guilty, Eames knew, because she had been unable to shake Wolf on her own. It had been in saving her that their partners had gone off the pier. It particularly troubled Eames to know Goren had gone in hurt. He never did know when to call it quits. Push the limits...that was Bobby.

They looked up when Deakins' phone rang. Expecting his wife, he glanced at the caller ID out of habit. He didn't recognize the number. "Deakins." He was silent as he listened to the caller speak. "Thank you. We'll meet them there." He closed the phone but there was no relief in his face or in his voice. "Call off your divers, Paul. They found them."


	24. It Was A Cold Swim

Deakins strolled to the admissions desk at Queensbridge Medical Center and pulled out his badge. "Two of my officers were brought in a little while ago."

She studied the list in front of her and slowly shook her head. "I only have one ER patient, and he came in about ten minutes ago."

"His name?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I can't give out that information."

"Was he pulled out of the East River?"

"I'm not sure. Let me get a nurse for you."

"Thank you."

He looked at Barek and Eames and shook his head. Barek asked, "Only one? Where'd the other one go?"

"They told me they were transporting them both here. That's all I know."

An older woman in blue scrubs approached from the depths of the emergency room. "May I help you?"

Again, Deakins showed his badge and he said, "Two of my detectives were pulled out of the East River and I was told they were being brought here. Now I'm trying to find them."

"We have one of them. He's suffering from mild hypothermia and exhaustion, but he'll be all right."

Eames leaned forward. "Logan?"

She nodded. "Yes, that's what we were told his name is."

Deakins looked at her. "How'd you know it was Logan?"

"Because Bobby went into the water hurt."

He nodded and turned back to the nurse. "Where did they send my other detective?"

"That I couldn't tell you. I just know he wasn't brought here."

"Can we see Detective Logan?"

She nodded. "Come back this way."

They followed her back to a curtained off area where Logan rested on a stretcher with an IV running into his arm. "Hey, slacker," Barek said.

He opened his eyes and gave her a tired grin. "Hey, deadbeat," he replied. A frown furrowed his brow as he noticed the blood covering her clothes. He reached toward her and touched her arm. "You all right?"

"I'm okay, Mike. How about you?"

"Cold and tired." His eyes shifted to Eames, her splinted arm still in a sling and pain bright in her eyes. "You look rough there, Alex. You both better get looked at."

"They will...right now," Deakins said in a tone that left no room for argument.

"But, Captain..." Eames began.

"We will not leave this hospital until you have both been treated," Deakins insisted. He motioned for them to head out toward the nurses' station ahead of him. "We'll be back, Mike."

"Uh, Captain?" Logan called him back. "Where's Goren?"

"Good question," Deakins replied. "You came out of the river together, didn't you?"

Logan nodded. "I dragged him out. He didn't come out conscious." His eyes shifted to Eames, where she stood beside Deakins. He saw the look he expected to see. "He was alive. I blacked out after that, though, and I can't tell you any more."

"I'll find him," Deakins promised. He pointed a finger at Logan. "Behave. I'll be right back."

Logan frowned. "Just what do you think I'm gonna do?" he called after Deakins' retreating back.

While his three detectives were being treated, Deakins sat at the nurses' station with a phone in front of him and began to dial.

* * *

When she woke, the pain had retreated and the first thing she felt was annoyance. The pain and the stress of the night had caught up with her after she got back from x-ray, and she'd slept. Carefully, she pushed herself up in the bed. Deakins appeared at her side. "How are you feeling, Alex?" 

"I'm okay. A little annoyed at the moment. Did you find Bobby?"

Moving her head, she felt the bandage at her throat and brought her hand up to touch it. Deakins said, "They put nearly two dozen stitches in your throat. You had a couple of nasty lacerations there. And yes, I found Bobby. They took him over the river into Manhattan."

"How is he?"

"The only thing they'd tell me over the phone is that he was admitted, and he's in stable condition. They refused to tell me anything else."

Eames sat up and swung her legs over the side of the stretcher. "Let's go find out."

"Alex..."

"He's my partner, Captain. He was hurt, and I'm worried about him. I'm fine."

"Let's hear what the doctor has to say, all right?"

"Did they tell you why they took him to Manhattan?"

"I talked with the EMS crew chief. He said they were concerned and that he would probably have ended up being transferred to NYU anyway, so they cut out the middle man and saved a great deal of time by taking him there right off the bat."

"Get me a phone."

Deakins knew that look, and he decided not to argue. He left her side and returned with a phone and a slip of paper with the number to the nurses' station on the floor Goren had been admitted to. She took the paper, but before dialing, she asked, "What about Mike and Carolyn?"

"They admitted Mike for the night. Carolyn is still being treated. The last count was 37 stitches and they were still going."

She cringed, looking at her left arm which sported a splint. "What did they tell you about me?"

"They said it's a clean break and they are going to leave it splinted until Thursday. Then they want you to come back for a cast, once the swelling goes down. In the meantime, you need to take it easy."

She huffed in annoyance and dialed the number he gave her. When a nurse on the other end answered, she said, "My name is Eames. They admitted my partner to your unit a little while ago and I want to know how he's doing. And yes, I do have medical power-of-attorney for him."

She heard a shuffling of papers and then the nurse asked, "What did you say your name was?"

"Alexandra Eames."

"Ah, yes...we do have you on record as his medical proxy."

"Good. Now tell me how he is."

"He's in good condition. He came in suffering from shock and hypothermia; he's resting comfortably at the moment. He has several nasty lacerations on his side, and those have been stitched and dressed. We're keeping an eye on him."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll be there soon," she replied. "Thank you."

As she hung up the phone, she told Deakins, "He's doing okay."

He read the expectation in her eyes and slowly nodded. "All right. I'll go talk to the doctor."

As he walked away, she picked up the phone again, dialing another number that she didn't have to look up. He answered on the third ring. _Hello?_

"Hi, Lewis."

_Detective Alex! Did they find him?_

"Yes. He's at NYU Medical Center and I'll be there soon."

_Is he okay?_

"They say he's stable. I think he's going to be fine."

_What about Detective Logan?_

"He's okay, too."

_Did you and Detective Barek get looked at?_

"Yes. Are Kelsey and Steve there?"

_Yeah. I went and picked them up about an hour ago. They're waiting with me to find out about you guys._

"All three of you can get some sleep. We're okay."

She could hear the relief in Lewis' voice. _I'll tell them. Thanks for calling, Detective Alex._

She smiled warmly. She genuinely loved Lewis with his quiet exuberance and gentle manner. "Good night, Lewis."

_Uh, Detective Alex?_

"Yes?"

_That...thing?_

"He's dead. It's over."

_He'll be visiting my nightmares for awhile._

"Yours and mine both. I'll see you soon."

She hung up the phone and leaned back on the stretcher, waiting for Deakins.

* * *

She stood in the doorway, looking into the dim room. The IV pump on the far side of the bed whirred softly at regular intervals and the monitor beside the bed registered his heartrate, respirations and the oxygen saturation level of his blood. She wasn't sure what the numbers were supposed to be, but since nothing was alarming, she assumed they were okay. Behind her, Deakins rested a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want me to wait for you and take you home?" 

"No, thank you. I'll just stay here for a while. Morning's not too far away."

He squeezed her shoulder. "Go home and get some rest. The paperwork will wait."

She gave him a grateful smile and, once he was gone, stepped into her partner's hospital room. In silence, she crossed to the bed, gently sliding her hand into his. She waited a few moments, then watched his eyelids flutter. Deep brown eyes looked at her through the dimness, and his mouth formed a weary smile. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"I wanted to know how you liked your swim."

The smile widened slightly, and he squeezed her hand. "It was cold."

"How do you feel?"

"Still cold...and weak. Very tired." He reached over and gently touched her splint. "What did they say?"

"It's a clean break. They'll give me a cast in a few days."

"Green," he said quietly.

"Green? Green what?"

"Get a green cast. It'll set off your eyes nicely."

She laughed quietly. "Idiot." She gently pulled the sheet off his chest, studying the white bandages that encircled it. Blood had seeped through in four horizontal lines on the right side. She ran her fingers over the red lines. He studied her, reaching up to touch the bandage at her throat. Then his fingers slid past her ear, into her hair, and he drew her closer for a gentle kiss. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm sure. I'm not the one who went into the river."

"Mike went in, too, didn't he?"

"Yes. You two tend to stick together when trouble comes around, I've noticed."

"I don't try to get into trouble."

"Neither does Mike. It just seems to follow him and you go right along for the ride."

"This time he was the passenger and I was the one trouble sought out."

"Okay, Goren. I'll give you that."

"Is he all right?"

"Yes. He's at Queensbridge Medical Center, but he's doing fine."

"What happened with Wolf?"

"Two gunshot injuries to his chest. He's dead."

He looked away as he considered that, not quite sure how he felt. Eames touched his chin and guided his face back toward her, so she could see his eyes. "You can't be sorry."

"I'm not. He has his peace now. It was what he wanted."

"Something tells me you are not feeling the way you should about this."

"A man is dead, and I am largely responsible for that. How am I supposed to feel, Eames?"

"A serial killer was killed while attempting to take seven more lives. You tell me."

"It's over. That's what matters." He ran his fingers along her cheek. "And we found out that late October in the river is damn cold."

Laughing quietly, she kissed him. "How about we just take that for granted from now on?"

"That sounds like a plan." He gave her another weary smile, and she saw the fatigue in his eyes. She said nothing more. He shifted on the bed and drew her closer. She needed no further encouragement. Laying beside him, she nestled deep into his embrace. He pulled the sheet and blanket over her, kissed her gently and returned to sleep. She wasn't far behind him.


	25. A Very Strange Man

Something was wrong, and he couldn't find her. He ran through vacant streets, cold and unfriendly, searching through a dense fog that had settled over the city. He was in a panic...then he heard the snarling, and the screams, and he couldn't locate the source...he ran, and ran...

He sat bolt upright in the bed, drenched in sweat, his side on fire. Pressing his hand over his injuries, he fought to slow his breathing and his heartrate. Reaching his hand to the bed beside him, he felt another moment of panic when he found it empty. "Alex..."

Slowly, his brain engaged and he remembered. She was at her sister's. The baby was sick and Reggie needed help. She was safe. And Wolf...Wolf died in the East River during the early morning hours Monday. He was no longer a threat to her, or to anyone.

There was no way he was going to be able to go back to sleep now. _Damn_. He took a deep breath and gasped as the fire flared. So he sat still, breathing shallowly for a few moments until the pain eased and he could get up. He wasn't sure why the claw marks in his side hurt so badly. It seemed like the nightmares about Wolf that he still suffered from made them hurt worse, but that had to be his imagination. They were deep, but his ribs had not been injured. Alex was afraid they were getting infected; he wondered if the pain wasn't more in his mind than his side.

He made coffee and wandered around the apartment for awhile, bored. And he made up his mind. It was Thursday and he felt fine, other than his side, but that was manageable. They'd discharged him from the hospital first thing Tuesday morning with the okay to return to work when he felt up to it. Deakins and Eames insisted he take time off, in spite of his protests. But he was done with that now. He was going back to work. At five-thirty, he got in the shower, and then he headed in to the squad room.

When Deakins arrived just before seven-thirty, he was surprised to see Goren at his desk. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here," he answered with a small smile.

"You know what I mean. You aren't supposed to be here until Monday."

"I got bored and I feel fine."

"Where's your partner?"

"She's on her way in. She stayed at her sister's last night."

"Let me guess. She doesn't know you're here today, does she?"

"Not yet."

"Don't overdo it, all right?"

"I'll be fine."

The captain proceeded to his office as the phone on Goren's desk rang. He grabbed the receiver. "Goren."

_It's Rodgers. I need to see you._

"Did you finish the autopsy?"

_Yes. That's what I want to see you about._

"Okay. We'll be there shortly."

He leaned back and watched the elevators, waiting impatiently for Eames to arrive. When she got off the elevator, he got to his feet. She frowned at him, not entirely surprised to see him. It had been a job getting him to stay home at all, so she had half-expected him to be there. "What are you doing here?"

"The M.E. wants to see us."

"Give me a minute, and that's not what I mean." He paced impatiently as she got herself situated for the day and then looked up at him. "Are you going to answer me?"

He sighed. "I'm ready to work. I feel fine. There's no reason for me to stay home another few days. Can we go now?"

"What's your hurry?"

"She's finished with Wolf and I want to see what she found out."

"And an hour is going to change things?"

"Eames..."

She laughed. "Okay, okay. Let's go."

She followed him to the elevator. When the door closed and they were alone, he leaned closer and whispered into her ear, "I missed you last night."

"More nightmares?"

"That's just part of it. I missed you, that's all."

She squeezed his hand. "That's nice to hear," she said. "I missed you, too. But my sister really did need my help."

"How is Jake?"

"Better."

They exited the elevator and headed for the medical examiner's office.

* * *

Elizabeth Rodgers looked up as they came in. Goren stopped and looked at the body on the table. His mind recalled that small body slamming into his, knocking the wind from him, and the fight on the pier... Such a small man, but so powerful... 

Eames nudged him and he drew himself from his thoughts, looking at her. She was frowning. "Are you all right?"

He nodded and walked to the table, circling it slowly as he studied the body. Rodgers looked at Eames, who shrugged. He'd let them know when he was ready. They watched him pull on a pair of gloves and examine the man's hands, his teeth, the fatal wounds in his chest. "Uh, which of these caused his death?"

"Both were lethal. One severed the pulmonary artery, the other struck his heart."

He accepted her assessment and continued examining the body. Finally, Goren looked at the medical examiner, eyebrows raised expectantly. She couldn't fully suppress a small smile. "This was probably the most unusual autopsy I have ever conducted. How old did you say he was?"

"We didn't. We can tie him to a string of murders going back almost thirty years."

"I can find no evidence of aging in this body. He could be 25 years old or he could be 500 years old. He doesn't seem to have aged at all once he became an adult, and no, I can't explain it. He also seems to be only mostly human. There are a number of anomalies in his body, like his dentition and his musculature that, if I had seen them independent of his body, I would have sworn they came from a non-human animal."

"What animal?"

"A canine, most likely. Under microscopic examination, the hair on his body appears canine while the hair on his head is human. His teeth we have discussed before. I'm calling them hybrid. His muscles are extremely compact and powerful, making him inhumanly fast and strong. His fingers end in claws, not nails. There are structural anomalies in his major organs, and in his brain, and his eyes and internal ears were...different, again, not fully human. Mr. Wolf was a very strange man."

Goren once again circled the autopsy table, studying the body of the cursed man. Finally, he snapped off his gloves and tossed them into a trash can. "Thanks, doc. Uh, when you finish the written report..."

"Yes, Goren. I'll send you a copy."

He grinned. "Thanks."

He remained silent on the way back to the squad room, and she didn't press him. He'd talk when he was ready. Back at their desks, she watched him drop into his chair, not missing his wince as he pressed his hand into his side. "Bobby..."

He waved her off. "It's just sore. What time is your appointment?"

She was scheduled to get her cast that afternoon. "One-thirty."

He nodded and pulled out a folder and several forms. There was always paperwork to do...

_tbc..._


	26. Thanksgiving Gathering

Eames headed toward Long Island City. It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day and they were getting together for a late Thanksgiving dinner. Bobby had gone out to Carmel Ridge on Thursday and she had spent the day at her parents' home, where her nieces and nephews created happy chaos throughout the day. Sometimes, she couldn't help but envy her siblings their families. She still hoped that someday, her own children would join their cousins' happy play.

She had spent last night alone at her apartment. She had not been alone at night since they'd started chasing after Wolf, and since Halloween morning, she'd felt apprehensive about staying alone in her apartment. But it was time to prove to herself that she was ready, and Bobby understood that. He didn't argue; he let her do what she felt she needed to do. If he had his way, she knew, she would never spend another night alone. After a mostly sleepless night, that didn't sound like a bad idea...

She pulled up outside Lewis' apartment, happy to see that Bobby was already there. She wasn't surprised. He had been restless when she'd talked to him early that morning. She could hear it in his voice.

Lewis opened the door and his face broke into a huge grin. "Detective Alex!"

She kissed his cheek. "Hello, Lewis."

She smiled at the blush that colored his cheeks as he stepped aside to let her in. Goren came out of the kitchen, smiling when he saw her, but there was a shadow in his eyes that didn't quite vanish. "Are you okay?" she asked softly as she kissed him. His skin was warm and he seemed troubled.

He nodded his reply and said, "Logan and Barek will be here in a half hour, and Kelsey and Steve are on their way."

"How's your mom today?"

She knew he'd gone out to visit her after they'd talked. He had most likely headed straight to Lewis' afterwards. He shook his head, and she knew that his mother was the source of some of his unrest. "She isn't any better."

"I'm sorry, Bobby."

"Don't be."

She followed him into the kitchen, where Lewis was checking on the turkey. He read the meat thermometer. "One hundred and fifty."

"Not yet. It's gotta be at least one sixty-five."

"Man, we're never gonna eat."

"I told you to put it in earlier." He lifted a lid from a pot on the stove and stuck a fork into the boiling liquid. "Potatoes are almost done."

Lewis closed the oven door. "This'll be a good meal. Cold potatoes and raw turkey." He grinned at Eames as Goren hit his shoulder playfully. "Do you want something to drink, Detective Alex? We have apple cider, beer, wine, cola...Help yourself."

Goren got a glass from a cabinet and handed it to her. She took the glass and grabbed his hand before he could withdraw it. He met her eyes and returned her smile. Lewis left the kitchen to answer the door, and Goren softly gave her a kiss. "Stay with me tonight?"

"That was my plan."

He nodded and there was relief in his eyes. Apparently, he had not slept any better than she had. He followed her to the living room, where Steve and Kelsey were hanging their coats. They had not seen Alex and Bobby since that night on the pier. "Hi, guys," Steve said with a smile.

Kelsey approached them, hugging Alex and lightly touching her cast. "It's green," she said with a laugh. "Does it still hurt?"

Eames looked at her partner with a smile and said, "Just a little. It's doing fine."

The young woman turned to Goren, reaching out and running her hand over his injured side before stepping into a hug. "Are you all right?" she asked softly.

He kissed her head. "I'm better. How are you?"

"Still dealing with nightmares, and my shoulder still hurts. I talked to my grandfather last night, and I had a better night. It helps having Steve there."

He nodded understanding. He certainly knew how that felt. "I'm glad to hear that," he said quietly.

She leaned up and gave him a kiss, then stepped toward Lewis. Goren shook Steve's hand and gave him a hug. "I see you're still limping. How's your knee?"

"Sore, but they said I shouldn't need surgery. The cartilage seems intact."

"Good."

"How are you doing? How's your side?"

"It still gives me problems, but it's all right."

Kelsey touched his arm. "Do you mind if I have a look at it?"

"What? My side?"

She nodded. He untucked his shirt and pulled it up to reveal the four angry, red, parallel marks that Wolf had left him with. He got off a lot more easily than Harry had, in spite of his little unexpected dip in the river and the subsequent hypothermia that had ensued.

Kelsey's hand was cool against his side as she ran her fingers over the slowly healing gashes. "They look painful...and your skin is awfully hot."

"I've had worse."

"They were deep...My grandfather is convinced Wolf was a skinwalker, and he said it took great courage to face and defeat him."

Goren studied the young woman carefully. He leaned over to look into her face and he touched her arm. "I saw courage that night, Kelsey." He motioned a hand from himself to his partner. "We were doing our job. Call it whatever you will. But you backed us up, and you had no responsibility to do that. You faced...terror...and you didn't flinch."

Lewis looked around the corner from the kitchen. "You dragged Steve and me along with you and made us face it, too. I was more than ready to crawl under my bed and cover my head."

Kelsey grinned. "You wouldn't have done that, Lewis. You only needed a little shove, both of you."

"A little shove?"

"Okay, a big one...but I didn't have to drag you kicking and screaming to the dock."

Steve hugged her from behind. "Not at all...we had to _chase_ you. I'd swear you didn't have the sense to be scared."

Goren tucked his shirt back in with a soft chuckle. "'Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death.'"

Steve laughed and kissed Kelsey's neck. "So what do they call it when everyone knows you're scared to death and you get shoved into the jaws of a snarling werewolf?"

"Delusional?" Kelsey offered, then ducked away from him and jumped behind Goren before he could react.

"Delusional? I don't think that bite on your shoulder is the result of a delusion."

She laughed at him from the safety of her cover. "I guess you're right. Delusions don't usually bite."

Logan and Barek arrived twenty minutes later. Barek joined Eames, Steve and Kelsey in the living room while Logan headed into the kitchen for a beer. Goren was checking the turkey. "Almost there."

Logan peeked over his shoulder. "Relative of yours?"

He ducked away from the fist that came up toward his face and laughed. "Speak for yourself," Goren answered with a smile.

Logan nodded at Lewis. "How are you doing, Lewis?"

"Good. How 'bout you, Mike?"

"Great. Hey, Bobby, you remember that dog that found us down by the river?"

"I remember hearing about him. Why?"

"I went and saw him today. If you want. I can take you over there tomorrow. He loves to play ball."

"Yeah, okay."

He moved away from the stove. Logan grabbed his arm when he staggered a little. "Are you okay?"

"Sure. I'm fine."

It didn't pass Logan's notice that his hand was pressed firmly against his injured side. He stepped into Goren's side and muttered, "Go sit down."

Goren hesitated. The room started doing odd things and he frowned. "Uh, Mike..."

He felt his knees give way, but by the time he hit the floor, he was unconscious.

* * *

**_Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death._  
--Eddie Rickenbacker**

**A/N: Okay, so I thought this was going to be the last chapter, but my muse disagreed. Call me clueless now...(but don't panic...he's NOT going to become a werewolf...)**


	27. Exhaustion?

With a soft groan, he opened his eyes. It was dark and he was in a bed, but nothing was familiar. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. In the silence, he heard muffled voices from beyond the door, so he got up left the room.

As he stepped into the living room, six pairs of concerned eyes turned in his direction to look at him. "What?"

"What do you remember?" Logan asked.

"I just remember getting dizzy. What happened?"

Eames motioned him over to sit beside her on the couch. When he did, she said, "You can thank Mike for not waking up in a hospital room."

"Why?"

Logan explained, "I have a buddy who's an ER doc. He was off today and I asked him to come over and take a look at you. He owed me a favor."

Goren raised an eyebrow. "A favor?"

"Two actually, but I won't go into details in mixed company."

Barek smacked him. "Do you corrupt everyone you come into contact with?"

"I haven't corrupted you...yet," he answered with a wicked grin that earned him another smack on the arm. "And for the record, Marty could teach me a thing or two. Anyway, Bobby, he's a good doc, and he said you're okay. His official diagnosis was exhaustion, but he gave you a shot of antibiotics after taking a gander at your side. You have trouble sleeping lately?"

"No more than usual."

Logan looked at Eames, who nodded in agreement. Then she leaned forward to meet Goren's eyes. "You told me you saw a doctor about your side."

"I did. Three times. He gives me something new to put on it and tells me to be patient."

"Has the word infection ever come up?" Lewis asked.

"Every time, but the cultures are always negative. It's inflamed, not infected."

"Well, something's not right," Barek said. "They should be healing faster. Have you had a fever?"

"I don't think so."

"Your skin _has_ been warm lately," Eames pointed out.

"I haven't been paying much attention."

Logan said, "Marty said you should see a specialist about it. Infectious disease or dermatology. Someone who sees shit like this all the time. Maybe you picked up something in the river."

"Fine, whatever. I'll make some calls on Monday."

"You're sure there's no infection?" Eames asked.

"Positive."

"How do you feel now?"

"I'm fine."

She slowly shook her head. "This is...weird, Bobby. I don't like it."

"Look, let's forget it for now..." He looked at Lewis. "You ever get that bird cooked?"

"Bird? Oh, shit! The turkey!"

He ran toward the kitchen. Laughing, Goren got up and followed him. Eames didn't miss the way he winced and held his side as he got up, though. She also followed them into the kitchen. Everyone resumed their previous activities and the mood lightened significantly...except for Kelsey. She leaned back into the corner of the couch, her brow furrowed in concentration. There was more to this, she was afraid, than the others were willing to take into account, or even that they seemed to be aware of.

She remained lost in thought until Goren sat down beside her. "What's the matter?" he asked.

She sighed softly. "I...I'm afraid for you."

"Why? I just had trouble sleeping last night, and it caught up with me. I had a long day."

"It's more than that. Mike's friend is right—those slashes in your side should be much better than they are."

He touched her cheek affectionately. "Don't worry, Kelsey. I'm fine. I'll see another doctor..."

Kelsey was shaking her head. "No, Bobby. No pill or ointment is going to heal your side. You had an encounter...several encounters...with a powerful skinwalker."

"Then time will heal it. Don't worry about it, Kelsey. Come on. The turkey's finally done. Let's eat."

She just nodded. She didn't have the information she needed to give to him, but she was going to get it. And she would make absolutely certain that the dead skinwalker did _not_ have the last say in this encounter.

* * *

**A/N: A short resolution chapter of sorts to lead in to the next part of this never-ending story :-) Blame the muse...We're about to leave New York, folks. What I'd like from my readers is a little input. Bobby and Alex are going with Kelsey. Shall we leave Steve and Logan home in NY? Bring them in later? I'm undecided so far...I love having Logan around, though :-D Let me know what you think and I'll get cracking on the next chapter...**


	28. The Balance

Goren was laying on the couch talking on the phone when Eames came in from visiting her sister. She loved spending time playing with her nephew in the snow, and this was the first major snow they'd had since Christmas, three weeks ago. She'd given Goren the opportunity to come along, but he wasn't feeling up to it and insisted she go on without him. She'd been hesitant, but he'd finally convinced her he was fine.

She shook the snow from her shoulders and took off her coat, hanging it on the coat rack near the door. Crossing to the couch, she tapped his leg and he moved so she could sit down.

"No, they don't know...I'm sure...yes, I feel okay...okay...yes...good night, little girl..."

He closed the phone and tossed it onto the coffee table as he sat up. "Kelsey?" she asked.

He nodded. "She read the paper."

Two days earlier, he had collapsed at a crime scene. The papers had been told it was exhaustion. The doctors could find nothing wrong with him, aside from the fact that his side would not heal. Biopsies and cultures had revealed nothing but inflammation, although the biopsies did show there was no healing taking place. Now he was on medical leave from work and being subjected to a battery of tests on his immune system to determine why, and that had him more than a little irritable. So far, everything indicated his immune system was working normally. "What did she say?"

"She's worried."

"She's in good company."

"She wants to help."

"Then let her. She's not going to hurt you."

He took a drink of his beer and looked at her. "Do you mean that?"

"What? About letting Kelsey help you? Yes. If she thinks she can, let her."

"Do you want to help?"

She was puzzled. "You know I'll do anything I can to help you."

"Let Deakins know you need time off, then."

"Time off? For what?"

"We're going to Arizona."

"What for?"

"That's where the help is. Kelsey is convinced it's because Wolf was a skinwalker that my side isn't healing. Only an experienced medicine man can counter the magic that's making me sick, and it will only get worse if I continue to ignore it. She's been trying to get the medicine man to come here, but he won't leave the reservation, so we have to go to him. She says that's a better option anyway because he derives his power from his environment, and in New York, the strength of his healing would be diminished."

"You're serious, aren't you?"

He shrugged, feigning indifference. "All right, fine. Stay here. I'm going with her."

"I didn't say I wouldn't go." She frowned thoughtfully. "Bobby, you weren't the only one injured by Wolf. Why are you the only one suffering like this? Kelsey, Carolyn and I were all bitten, and we're fully healed. If you aren't healing because of Wolf, why have we healed?"

"I asked the same thing. The medicine man said it has to do with my connection to the skinwalker and his state of mind when he attacked me. When you were bitten he was fighting for his life, driven by fear and desperation. I was injured before that, when rage was his motivating emotion. And I have a prolonged connection with him, even if he didn't injure me 18 years ago. He remembered me."

She thought about it, then sighed softly. "When do we leave?"

"Monday morning."

"You have testing scheduled..."

"I'll reschedule it. I don't think there's anything wrong with my immune system, Alex."

"But you're not healing..."

He raised a hand and said, "Tell me one thing about Wolf that we can explain." When she remained silent, he added, "I called Rodgers yesterday and asked her to exhume the body."

"What? Why would you do that?"

"I asked her to take a closer look at his hands and to run some tests on his claws."

"Nails."

"No...claws. Nails would never have done this to my side."

"I don't know...I've seen some wicked nails on some people."

"He did this through my shirt, and they're deep. Come on, Alex..."

"Okay, fine. Claws. What are you looking for?"

"I don't know. I just wanted her to look. Maybe there's nothing to find..."

"Don't bullshit me. You would never ask Rodgers to exhume and re-examine a body just for the hell of it. She has enough to do. You feel strongly about this."

He was quiet for a moment. Finally, he said, "I wanted her to see if he has any odd adaptive features."

She leaned forward. "Bobby, if you don't tell me what you're getting at, I swear I'm going to smack you."

"I don't know. Maybe I'm grasping at straws here. If he had some kind of chemical glands, like poison sacs or something...maybe..." He trailed off with a shrug.

"But it's a long shot or you wouldn't be taking off for Arizona...and don't tell me you're doing it to appease Kelsey. I'd buy that if you were going to see a healer in New York. But not on the other side of the country."

"I...I'm running out of options, Alex. I don't know what's wrong, but I haven't felt...right since Wolf died. And I'm tired of hurting. I'm willing to give anything a chance at this point."

"How long have you been discussing this with Kelsey?"

"A week maybe. She...she only just started begging tonight after seeing the paper. She's...afraid. I don't know if this medicine man can help, but I'm at the point now where I don't feel I can shut off any avenue. It certainly can't hurt me."

"And you're dragging me along..."

He started shaking his head. "No. If you aren't willing, I don't want you to come. I'm not going to drag you anywhere. But I will ask you to come along, because I want you with me. I...need you...with me."

"Forgive me if I'm skeptical, but I will support you. I always do."

"No matter how stupid you think I'm being..." he added.

She sighed as she pulled off her boots. "I don't think you're being stupid. Besides, I always wanted to visit Arizona."

"Here's your chance."

"You, Kelsey and me..."

"Not quite."

"What do you mean?"

"The world is balanced by fours. The four seasons, the four directions, the four winds, the four elements..."

"Okay. Who's the fourth?"

"Logan, if he'll come."

She looked surprised. "Why Logan?"

"Because he provides the balance. Don't ask me why. I just...I know he does."

"Do you think he'll come?"

Goren nodded. "I think so." He sighed heavily and got up from the couch. Leaning over, he kissed her. "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?"

"To meet Logan and ask him to take a field trip with us." He lightly caressed her cheek and sighed softly. "I love you."

She watched him cross the room and grab his jacket. "Bobby..." He turned at the door and looked at her. "Good luck. And I love you, too."

He just smiled and left the apartment.

* * *

He was working on his second beer when Logan slid onto the stool beside him. "Hey, man. How are you feeling?" 

He signaled the bartender and ordered a beer as Goren shrugged. "I'm all right."

"They figure out what's going on with you yet?"

"No. They can't find anything wrong, except that my side won't heal."

"Hmph. They have any ideas?"

"Not a clue."

"So what are they going to do?"

"Run more tests."

"Well, that sucks. What do you think?"

"I think they're barking up the wrong tree."

Logan accepted the beer from the bartender and took a drink. "You have another tree in mind?"

"A cactus, more like."

"A what?"

Goren sighed heavily and finished off his beer. "On Monday, Alex and I are going to Arizona with Kelsey. Her grandfather knows a healer who is willing to try to help. I'm not going to go into details because I'm not sure what I think about it."

"It's this skinwalker stuff she's talked about, isn't it?"

Goren nodded. "Yeah, it is."

"Are you telling me you're buying it?"

"I'm telling you I don't know what else to do. I'm not getting anywhere with the doctors and I'm not taking any more damn medicine. I feel like shit, Mike. I'm saying it can't hurt, that's all. I'm willing to trust Kelsey's grandfather because I trust Kelsey. She feels strongly about it. She called me tonight, and she was almost in a panic, begging me to just give them a chance. I'm willing to do that."

"More power to you, then. I'm not sure I'd be able to put my well-being in the hands of some witch doctor."

"Medicine man. But if it was a witch who made me sick to start with..."

"Screw your head back on, man, and listen to what you're saying..."

Goren leaned over and met Logan's eyes. "Look at me and listen when I tell you that I'm not getting any better, Mike. It's gotten worse. Her grandfather is making sense. If I do this and it works, then I'm ahead of the game. If it doesn't, then what have I lost?"

Logan shrugged. "It's your decision."

"Yeah, it is." He signaled for another beer. "Uh, but there is something you can do for me."

"Feed your cat?"

"You know I don't have a cat."

"Water your plants?"

"No plants."

"Ah, man...don't ask me to go with you. All this spooky mumbo jumbo creeps me out."

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"Why can't Alex do it?"

"She is. But I need you, too, or I'd never ask."

Logan closed his eyes and rested his head against his hand. "Did I ever tell you that you're a pain in the ass?"

"Once or twice."

"You sure there's no other way?"

"No. But I am sure I need you for this."

"And if it doesn't work?"

"I'm no worse off than when we started...and you get a free trip to Arizona."

"You do know that this ranks up there with all the things I really never wanted to know in the first place."

"Tell me about it."

"All right, Bobby. Count me in. When are we leaving?"

"Monday morning. I already made the reservations."

"You knew I'd say yes?"

"I thought you would."

With a sigh, Logan looked into his beer. "You owe me."

"I know."

"If I ever get bit by a vampire, guess who I'm coming after."

* * *

**A/N: Just about everyone wanted Mike to come along, so he is...**


	29. Restless

**A/N: This chapter is definitely a 'T' rating...I don't think it's enough for 'M', but definitely a 'T'...**

* * *

Logan stretched out his long legs and tried to twist the kink out of his back. He looked across the aisle at Goren and noted that he didn't look any more comfortable, folded into a seat that was definitely not built for a guy his size. He shifted his gaze to the seat next to him, where Kelsey was looking out the window. She glanced at him and smiled. He smiled back. "Hard to believe that's going by at 500 miles an hour," he said, nodding his head toward the ground. 

She leaned closer to him and said, "That'll be one heck of a bounce if we lose altitude and hit the ground."

"Bounce?" he retorted with a gleam in his eye. "We wouldn't bounce, sweetheart. We'd make one hell of a crater."

She laughed and he gave her an affectionate hug. He didn't blame Goren one bit for the deep affection he felt for this spunky kid. He felt it, too. She was one of those people that just hit you right in the heart and stayed there. He seriously doubted there was another person, except for Alex, who could have convinced Goren to take this trip.

They were beginning their descent into Phoenix. He reached across the aisle and nudged Goren. "You reserve a car?"

"Yeah."

"It better not be a hatchback. I'll walk."

Goren laughed softly. "It's not. I figured an SUV would be most practical. The reservation is kind of remote."

He raised his eyebrows. "Define 'kind of remote'."

"Let's just say there's not a McDonald's on every corner."

"How did I let you talk me into this?"

"I don't have a cat for you to feed."

"Oh, yeah."

He leaned back in his seat. Turning to Kelsey, he said, "Your grandfather doesn't live in a teepee, does he?"

"Wrong tribe, Mike. The traditional Navajo home is a hogan, and Grandpa does have one on his land, but he lives in a house. He actually got indoor plumbing when I was little."

He turned back to Goren. "Is it too late for me to change my mind?"

"Yes."

"Shit. Did I tell you that you owe me?"

Goren just smiled and leaned back, closing his eyes. Logan snorted. "He thinks I'm kidding."

Kelsey laid a gentle hand on his arm. "You want him to heal, don't you?"

"You think this witchy voodoo whatever can heal him?"

"There's no voodoo involved. This medicine man is well-experienced in dealing with skinwalkers, and yes, I think he can heal him."

"They get lots of them out here, huh?"

"Enough."

He sighed. "Um, am I correct in assuming there are no nearby hotels?"

"Yes. We'll stay with Grandpa. He doesn't have a large home, but we're welcome there."

He opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind. "I think I'll leave everything else as a surprise. I'm getting nervous."

She laughed softly and leaned her head against his shoulder. He sighed. What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

Goren stared at the ceiling in the dim light. In the bed beside him, Eames was snuggled into his side and sleeping soundly. To say that he was nervous about this was an understatement. His hand absently rubbed his side and he winced. He had no idea what else to do and he was sick to death of getting poked, prodded, scanned and jabbed with needles. They'd drawn so much blood since he collapsed at that crime scene the week before, he was certain he was now anemic. But traveling across the country to see a Navajo medicine man...it seemed as drastic as it was unfamiliar. 

His uncertainty served to feed his restless anxiety and he was entirely unable to sleep. He knew what he could do that would deal with that anxiety for a little while and at least enable him to sleep, and his gaze kept straying to the woman nestled into his side with her hand splayed on his chest. But he was reluctant to waken her. It had been a long day and it was late when Logan and Kelsey retired to their rooms. Eames had been exhausted and was sound asleep by the time he got out of the shower.

Granted, she never complained when he woke her but it was enough dragging her across the country to support him in this. But his eyes continued turning to her and that made matters worse. Well, maybe he should give it a try, waking her and seeing how she reacted. If she was intent on her sleep, he could always simply take another shower...

He ran his fingers along her arm to her shoulder and kissed her forehead as he traced a circle over her shoulder. She grunted and shifted, but remained sleeping. He smiled and gently nuzzled the side of her head, kissing and nipping at her ear as his hand ran lightly down her side. A subtle change in her breathing encouraged him. He continued to use his mouth to play with her ear as his hand breezed over her hip and he brought his other hand trailing up her abdomen, around the swell of one breast and then the other. As he moved his mouth to her neck, his hand traced and teased her nipples and she groaned. He didn't even try to suppress the shudder that coursed through his body, and he tongued the hollow at the base of her neck on his way to the other side of her head as her hands began to play across his skin. It was his turn to groan as her hips thrust forward against him and he nipped her earlobe.

Turning her head toward him, she sought out his mouth, thrusting her tongue between his lips as her hand grasped him and stroked up and down along his length. He groaned deeply into her mouth as she slid her body on top of his and settled onto him. Gasping, he buried his face in her hair and groaned her name. It didn't take long for either of them to climax and she collapsed onto his body as he stroked her back and kissed her.

Against his ear, she whispered, "What was that all about?"

She knew him too well. "I just...needed you."

It was all the explanation she needed. Snuggling against him, still resting on top of his body, she stroked his sides and smiled as he trembled. "Bobby, be honest with me. Are you scared?"

"No, not scared. Just...apprehensive. I...couldn't sleep...and..." He trailed off and softly kissed her. "Thank you."

Sighing softly, content, she slid down beside him, settling her head into the hollow of his shoulder and draping one leg over his. He placed a light kiss on her forehead and tightened his arm around her. Her hand trailed slow circles over his chest and stomach, and he drifted off to sleep.


	30. On the Road

She didn't have it in her to wake him the next morning. They were under no time constraints, and he had enough trouble sleeping. She was content to wait until he woke on his own. She called Logan to let him know there was no rush to get going. He agreed to take Kelsey to breakfast and bring back something for her and Goren.

It was just after ten when he began to stir. She sat on the edge of the bed and lightly teased his hair. Opening his eyes, he smiled and slid his arm around her waist. "Good morning," he said.

She smiled. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

"It's thanks to you I slept at all. Have you heard from Logan?"

"He and Kelsey went to breakfast. He's going to bring something for us."

Stretching slowly, he sighed. "You should have woken me."

"There's no rush, and check-out's not till noon."

"I guess I'd better shower and get dressed."

She watched him get up and head into the bathroom. She remained where she was, listening to the water running, for a moment or two, debating with herself. Making up her mind, she got up, pulled off her clothes, and went into the bathroom to join him.

* * *

"So how long is it going to take to get there?" Logan asked from the back seat as they left the Phoenix metro area, heading north along Interstate 17. 

Eames glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "About 6 hours, and if you start in annoying me with 'Are we there yet?', I swear I'll make you walk."

"What about 'I'm hungry' and 'I gotta pee'?"

"I'll get you a bag of chips and a bottle when we stop for gas. That will take care of both those problems."

Beside her, Goren started laughing. "I wouldn't push it, man. She means business when she's determined to get somewhere."

"Look," Eames said, raising a finger to silence them both. "A car is close quarters as it is and it's bad enough with _you_ fidgeting the whole time." She looked pointedly at Goren who had the sense to look guilty. Turning her eyes to the mirror she looked at Logan. "I am not going to put up with you acting like you're two."

"Yes, mother."

With another snicker, Goren turned toward the window and Eames rolled her eyes. She glanced over her shoulder at Kelsey, who smiled and shrugged. Turning her attention back to the road, she sighed. It was going to be a long ride.

* * *

She finally pulled off the highway and into a Denny's parking lot just outside Holbrook along Interstate 40. "It's about damn time," Logan grumbled. "A bag of chips and a bottle of soda isn't much to tide someone over." 

"So why are you the only one complaining?"

"Maybe I'm not afraid of you."

Goren turned to look at him, eyes bright with amusement. "Kelsey," he said quietly. "Are you afraid of Alex?"

"No. Why would I be?"

"Makes me wonder if there's anyone in the car who _should_ be afraid of her."

"Bite me, Goren," Logan grumbled. "I'm hungry and uncomfortable, and it's your damn fault I'm here at all."

"No one forced you to come."

"No, but I'm hoping this will be nicer than the last trip you took me on. That river was damn cold."

Eames opened her door. "Life's a bitch, Logan. Now get out of the car and let's get something to eat."

On the other side of the car, Kelsey stretched as she watched Goren get out of the car. She didn't like his slow, guarded movements. Hiding her concern beneath an amused smile, she asked, "Is he always like this?"

"Pretty much. And he seems to enjoy annoying her, which I don't understand. I go out of my way not to annoy her."

Kelsey laughed. "He likes to live on the wild side."

Stepping away from the car, he staggered a little and she grabbed his arm, steadying him. He waved her off. "I'm all right."

"Are you sure?"

He hesitated before answering. The truth was, he wasn't sure. He looked at her hand where she held onto his arm, and a sudden concern hit him. Leaning his head down toward hers, he spoke softly. "Kelsey, if I start to go down, just let me go, all right? Don't try to catch me. Let Logan do that if he's nearby. I promise I won't get hurt as badly as I would hurt you if I landed on you."

"Do you feel like you're going to collapse?"

"No. But I didn't feel like I would last week when I did. Just give me your word that you won't try to break my fall."

Reluctantly, she nodded. "All right, Bobby. I promise."

He kissed her temple and they walked around to join Eames and Logan. Eames met his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Fine."

She looked skeptical, but let it go. She knew him too well, and he was fully aware that she knew he wasn't fine. When his eyes shifted to Kelsey as she went through the doorway ahead of Logan, Eames understood. She slid her hand under his jacket and lightly caressed his side. He leaned over and kissed her, then followed her into the restaurant.

* * *

As they waited for their food, Logan looked at Kelsey. "So when does Grandpa expect us?" 

"Today. We'll get there when we get there. He'll wait."

"Patient man. Uh, are there any...monsters running around the reservation these days?"

Kelsey laughed. "Monsters?"

"Yeah, you know...those skinwalkers you keep talking about."

"To the best of my knowledge, no. But there are always skinwalkers around.."

"That's reassuring," he muttered, giving Goren a nervous look. Then he looked back at Kelsey. "Can you tell me exactly what a skinwalker is?"

She sighed. "They're called _yee_ _naaldlooshii, _which means 'with it, he goes on all fours'. They are evil witches who cause harm to others. They have the ability to transform into animals, but very few can make a complete transformation. There are always imperfections that give them away, and some always retain some of their human features."

"Like Wolf."

She nodded, looking across the table at Goren. "Yes."

Logan turned his spoon over in his hands idly. "But they can't transmit their shapeshifting abilities to someone else, can they?"

"No, they can't."

Goren added. "That's all Hollywood, Mike. And I wasn't bitten. I'm not going to turn into a damn werewolf."

"I was bitten," Eames said. "And so were Kelsey and Carolyn. And we're fine. Bobby is the only one suffering from any lasting effects."

"Because Wolf was a powerful skinwalker," Kelsey explained. "And he had a connection to Bobby that has managed to carry over past his death and still effect him. I don't understand it, but maybe Grandpa and the medicine man can explain it."

"I hope so," Logan muttered. "I know I want some answers."

"Why, Mike?" Eames asked.

Logan looked at Goren. "Because I care about my friends, and I don't want to lose a good drinking buddy."

"Heaven forbid you be inconvenienced, Logan."

Logan raised his eyebrows at Eames. "I'm in the middle of the desert heading into a 'kind of remote' area almost 3000 miles from home. I think we passed 'inconvenience' someplace over Nebraska, Alex." He raised a hand when Goren made a move to speak. "It's fine, Bobby. I'm explaining, not complaining. I'll save that for later."

"Thanks," Goren muttered. "That'll be something to look forward to."

Before Logan could respond, the waitress arrived with their food and his attention shifted to his meal. As far as he was concerned, the conversation was over. He had a burger just waiting to be eaten and a stomach that was more than ready to have it.

* * *

When they were done eating, they got out of the booth and prepared to leave. As Goren stood up, the room around him tilted and began to fade. He sat back down and propped his head on his hand, closing his eyes. Eames touched his shoulder. "Bobby?"

He waved her off. "It's okay. Just a little dizzy. Give me a minute."

When his head stopped swimming and the room didn't spin when he opened his eyes, he got to his feet and they headed for the cashier. Goren handed his wallet to Eames and said, "I'll just wait in the car."

"Bobby..."

He squeezed her arm. "I told you, I just feel a little dizzy. I'll be fine."

He headed out of the building. Logan said, "I'll just go with him."

He took the keys Eames held out to him and hurried after Goren. Coming up behind his friend, he reached around him and unlocked the car. "You kinda need the keys to get into the car."

"What? Oh... I suppose so."

Logan pulled the passenger door open and grabbed Goren when he faltered. "You're not okay, man," he muttered into his ear.

Goren sat down and shook his head. "I feel...I feel like shit."

"Your side?"

"Burns like hell."

"I hate to say this, but the sooner we get you to your witch doctor, the better I'll feel."

When Goren just nodded and didn't correct his use of the term 'witch doctor', Logan's already significant feeling of foreboding went through the roof. "All I have to say is this better be worth it, Bobby. This guy better do some good, or I really will be pissed."

"And what will you do, Mike? This is a long shot and you know it."

"So if this doesn't work...?"

Goren slowly shook his head. "Then I'm not going to get better."

"Bobby..."

"Don't say anything. Let's just see what happens, all right?"

"You don't know that you won't get better."

"No. Not for certain, I don't. Alex already knows how I feel, but I don't want Kelsey to worry any more than she does."

Logan reached into the backseat and pulled out a bottle of water, handing it to Goren. "Take a drink and relax. Here come the girls."

As Logan walked around the car to get in behind the driver, Kelsey stopped beside Goren. "Bobby..."

He touched her arm. "I'm okay, little girl," he said with a reassuring smile. "Let's get underway."

She studied him for a moment, and he knew she didn't believe him. But she didn't push the issue, moving to the back door to climb into the car. Eames slid into the driver's seat as he pulled his door closed. She lightly ran her fingers along the seam of his jeans, reassured by the flare of heat she saw in his eyes. He winked at her and closed his hand over hers. Starting the car, she shifted into reverse, backed out of the space, and headed back to the interstate.

Twenty minutes later, a voice from the backseat said, "Are we there yet?"

When Goren started laughing, Eames didn't have the heart to pull over and smack Logan, so she just drove on, shaking her head.


	31. Purification

**A/N: I should explain. As an anthropologist, I studied Native American religion and healing. I did not, however, focus on any specific tribe, so the chapters that follow will likely show a mix of tribal rituals and/or beliefs. I obviously chose the Navajo because of the skinwalker connection. I have a deep respect for Native healing as well as cosmic beliefs. Although the rituals may be somewhat fictional, the deep respect and admiration for their inspiration is heartfelt. I honestly believe there are people with a deep cosmic connection whose understanding of our world transcends the physical, like Benjamin Delgado. That said...let's see what these healers can do for our Bobby...

* * *

**

It was just past eight when they turned down a dirt lane that led to a small house surrounded by desert scrub and cacti. A small herd of horses grazed in a fenced pasture beyond the house. Down a small lane to the south were two structures that Kelsey explained were the hogan her grandparents lived in for many years, until the small house was built when her mother was a teenager, and her grandfather's sweat lodge. There was a small line of smoke drifting out of the top of the sweat lodge.

Eames parked the car and they stepped out into to cold desert night. "I thought it was supposed to be hot in the desert," Logan observed.

"Not at night," Goren countered.

Kelsey nodded. "Even in the summer, it gets cold at night. In the winter, we can even get snow."

Eames grinned at Logan. "If all you packed was shorts, you're going to be very uncomfortable."

"I didn't pack just shorts," he retorted. "But someone still could have told me..."

"That it's January?" Goren said with an innocent look.

"Ha ha."

Kelsey and Eames laughed. Across the yard, the front door of the house opened and Kelsey called, "Grandpa!"

She ran toward the house and into her grandfather's arms. The three detectives looked at each other and smiled. Closing the car doors, they crossed the yard. Kelsey introduced them to her grandfather, Benjamin Delgado, who shook their hands each in turn, stopping when he grasped Goren's hand. He searched the younger man's eyes. "I am pleased you have come," he said solemnly. "We can help you."

Goren nodded. "I am counting on that, sir."

Benjamin released his hand and motioned them inside. "Please, come in. Make yourselves at home."

Kelsey sat on the floor in front of the coffee table. Benjamin sat in a worn rocker while the three detectives settled themselves on a long couch, worn but comfortable. "My accommodations are limited, but my home is warm and comfortable, and you are more than welcome here."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Goren answered.

The old man studied him. "You will need to prepare for the healing, and I see no reason to delay. Are you willing to do what is required?"

Goren nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm prepared."

"Then come with me."

Eames looked at him, concerned. He squeezed her hand and leaned over to kiss her. "It's all right. I'll be back."

Benjamin stopped at the front door. "Someone is welcome to sleep in my bed. I will be in the sweat lodge all night with Bobby."

The two men left the house and Kelsey explained, "My grandfather was trained as a healer, and he often assists the medicine man with the healing rituals. He can tell all isn't right with Bobby and the sooner he begins, the better off he'll be. Bobby will spend the night and probably most of tomorrow in the sweat lodge with my grandfather. It's a purification. For Bobby it's preparation for the ritual to come. Grandfather will participate in the healing, and he has spent the last few days preparing and purifying himself. But he's not going to put Bobby through a rigorous purification. His body and his spirit aren't strong enough for that."

Logan studied the girl. "How much do you know about all this, Kelsey?"

"Not everything, but a lot."

"And how much have you really told Bobby?"

"I told him everything I know. He knows what to expect. I'm not trying to trick him, Mike. I've been very honest. I can't say if there will be any pain involved, and I don't know the specifics of the ritual. But I told him all I know and everything Grandpa told me."

Logan looked at Eames. "And you?"

"He answered my questions. That's all I wanted from him. I'm not sure how much I really want to know. But he really does believe this will help. I think that might do him more good than anything else."

"I hope you're all right about this. Where do you sleep, Kelsey?"

"I have my own room here."

"Okay, Alex, you can take Grandpa's bed and I'll sleep here on the couch. Now that we have that figured out, what is there to do around here?"

"Grandpa and I play chess, or read. There's not much in the way of TV reception, but I bought him a DVD player and some movies for Christmas last year."

Logan studied her. "Chess and books, huh? No wonder you get along so well with Goren. What movies do you have?"

She grinned. "Over here."

She opened a cabinet and he leaned down to look at the selection of movies he had to choose from.

* * *

Goren followed Benjamin to the sweat lodge. On the way, the older man said, "Once we begin the purification, you must enter into a period of total abstinence. You may have water, but nothing else. No food, no alcohol, no sex...you may ingest only what I give you. Do you understand?" 

"Yes."

"Tell me about the people you brought. My granddaughter will participate in the ritual as your friend. She is bound to you because you saved her life last year. And Alex?"

"She's my partner...and my lover."

"Very good. She is bound to you by your heart. What about Mike?"

"He's my friend, and he saved my life the night we killed Wolf."

"Another life bond. And he brings the balance. Very good. You chose well."

They entered the sweat lodge and Goren followed the old man's lead, stripping to his boxers and sitting on a mat in the center of the lodge opposite him. Benjamin said, "I will prepare a poultice for the skinwalker injuries to your side. It must be changed frequently, and I will take care of that. I will watch over you through the night and into tomorrow, for as long as it takes to prepare you."

"How will you know when I'm ready?"

"I will know. Reynaldo Roundtree is our medicine man. He will arrive late tomorrow, and the healing ritual will begin at dawn the next morning. A ritual hut will be constructed during the day tomorrow, and it will be ready before sundown." He turned to a small table off to the side of the lodge and busied himself with the various herbs spread across its surface. After a few moments, he handed a cup to Goren. "Drink this. Once it has finished its work, I will give you another cup to drink." He handed him a bowl. "You will need this."

Goren drank the contents of the cup. The brew was very bitter and oily. It didn't take long to work. Benjamin busied himself preparing the poultice he'd mentioned. After a half hour of profuse sweating and vomiting, Benjamin knelt beside him and offered him a glass of water. Although he retched a few times, Goren was able to keep the water down. The healer knew he was ready to proceed. He took a cloth and moistened it with hot water, then he gently cleaned the younger man's face. Taking a second cup from the bench, he placed it in Goren's hand. "We will remain in this lodge for as long as it takes for this brew to serve its purpose."

"Wh-what is it?"

"A medicinal brew that will draw forth the link you have with the skinwalker. After so many years, it has become ingrained in your spirit. If we are going to destroy it, we must draw it to the surface, so no harm will come to you."

"Are you saying part of me is evil?"

"No, Bobby. This is not part of you. It is a poison inside you. The first grains were implanted many years ago, when this skinwalker killed your friend. Through his contact with you in October, he was able to get a grasp on your soul. It was his intent to kill you, and had he succeeded, your courage and fortitude would have become part of him. Since it was he who was killed, his poison is eating at you, and it will kill you, slowly. That is why we must draw it forth and cleanse it from your soul."

"Why am I the only one affected?"

"The interactions between the world we know and the worlds around us that we have no physical awareness of are very complex. The skinwalker you call Wolf...his was an ancient soul which carried that body through many evil years of life. The curse that turned him into what he was became compounded when the spirit of a skinwalker, an evil soul, found him. It was a simple matter for it to consume an already cursed being. Whatever man Wolf had once been, he was no more. Your friends were spared because you were the one he targeted, the one he focused on. He chose you when you met in Germany, and then he waited until your paths crossed again, knowing that they would. You remain in his grasp because you were the one who took his life."

"He received two fatal injuries, one at my hand and one at Mike's. What about Mike?"

"He is safe. You kept him safe through the blood you spilled. Drink, son. And remember I am right here."

Goren hesitated only a moment before he drank the contents of the second cup. Benjamin took the cup and set it aside, then he pressed the warm poultice he had prepared against the slashes in his side. After a while, Goren began feeling oddly. Everything around him seemed to be moving in slow motion and he couldn't concentrate. The room tilted and light trails followed every object his vision came across. He felt an overwhelming desire to sleep, which he fought, curious about the odd fog that filled his head. When he tried to move, he found he had no sense of balance. Benjamin gently grasped his shoulders and eased him down onto his back on the mat, and he stopped fighting.


	32. Remembering

_The trees cast deep shadow in the fading light of the late spring afternoon. It was a stroke of pure luck that he got off early that afternoon, but three hours in the deep forest had yielded no results. Well, he couldn't exact say no results. For the past hour he'd been troubled by the feeling that he was being watched. He wasn't sure what compelled him to head into the forest every night, beyond the haunting memories of Private Garibaldi's mutilated body. He wanted justice for her. _

_But it was more than that. A deeper need drove his quest to find...whatever that thing was. He was curious. He wanted to see it up close, to find out just what it was. Eight days had passed since the last murder. Twelve victims on a coroner's slab. Twelve paths to justice. Eight late nights spent combing these forest trails, finding nothing._

_He stopped suddenly and spun around, dark eyes searching the darker shadows of the trees. If this thing fed on fear, it was going to starve. He wasn't afraid. Why, he couldn't say, but he wasn't. His curiosity was a desire deeper than fear. He caught a movement in the thicket and headed toward it..._

"_Sergeant Goren..."_

_He stopped his advance. "You know me?"_

"_I have been watching you, sergeant."_

_He could barely make out the glow of two eyes just a few yards in front of him. "Why?"_

"_You intrigue me. You're a smart young man. With experience, you could be brilliant. It's a shame we'll never know."_

"_What is that supposed to mean?"_

"_You'll find out. We shall meet again."_

_A rustle of leaves and the eyes, and their owner, were gone. He bounded into the thicket, and found nothing. He searched until well after midnight, but it was gone...

* * *

_

_Katarina had a body that just wouldn't quit, and the things she did to his body...he smiled, content and fully sated, as he made his way back to the barracks. His gait was not quite as steady as it usually was, but half a night of drinking and dancing will knock the steadiness right out of a guy. Not to mention the visit to her apartment..._

_'Ya know,' he thought to himself, 'a couple more drinks sound just about right.' He stopped in at the NCO Club and dialed Harry's number. Weird. He said he was going right home._ '_Guess I'll have to go and collect his ass and drag him down here.'_ _He laughed at the image that conjured. Harry wasn't a big guy, but he was strong with a commanding presence. Of course, he wasn't intimidated by his older partner. It helped when you didn't really give a shit about rank..._

_When he got to Harry's apartment he knew immediately that something wasn't right, and that sobered him right up. A thin ray of light spilled into the hallway from Harry's door. Why was it open? He gave it a push. "Harry?"_

_He heard a low snarling sound and immediately went for his gun, which wasn't there. A compact, furry body hit him hard, and he felt a sharp pain just above his belt. He was slammed into the wall, and a deep voice growled at him. "Until next time, sergeant."_

_He slumped to the floor, dazed and trying to recover his wind. By the time his senses returned, the guy was gone. He hurried down the hall. "Harry?"_

_Harry was there...and Harry was dead...and it was his fault... "Harry!"

* * *

_

Benjamin watched him carefully as he tossed and muttered on the mat. He built the fire up a little more and replaced the poultice on Goren's side. The memories, he knew, would be difficult for him, but it was vital that he recall them now. They were a key element to his survival.

* * *

_New York. He loved the urban jungle he called home. His job was to respond to any threat to the people who lived there, so they could sleep at night, feeling safe. It was a trust he took seriously and he was deeply troubled because those people were not safe at the moment. He lay awake, content with the woman half-draped over his body but restless with the knowledge that there was a criminal out there beyond his comprehension. He couldn't figure this guy out. _

_She stirred, and her hand skimmed over a sore spot on his waist. He couldn't recall how he'd bruised it, just as he couldn't recall the injury that had left the small white scar he had there, just above his beltline. It was weird. _

_He kissed her and slid out of her arms. "Where are you going?" she muttered sleepily._

"_Nowhere. Go back to sleep."_

_She'd muttered a few incoherent words and slept. He smiled, leaning over to gently kiss her. He whispered 'I love you' and left the room. Ten minutes later he was on the street, walking, lost in thought. _

_'You cannot escape destiny.'_

_He turned and looked down the empty street. He could have sworn he heard a voice, and that it was familiar, a low growling sound he'd heard before, though he couldn't quite place when or where. He continued walking up the street._

_'I promised we would meet again.'_

_He turned again. This time his hand moved to rest instinctively on the butt of his weapon. But again, the street was empty. _

_'No mistakes this time, sergeant. I will claim what I should have had eighteen years ago.' _

_He caught movement near the alley fifty feet in front of him and he ran toward it. By the time he got there, it was empty except for a big alley cat over near an upturned trash can, cowering in fear.

* * *

_

_He could smell the man's fear, mingling with the smell of the river, as they chased him out onto the pier. He didn't have to look; he knew Eames was right behind him. He was equally certain Logan and Barek were right with her. They were not going to leave him to face Wolf alone._

_He did not expect Kelsey to follow, with Steve and Lewis on her heels. There was a great deal at stake out on the pier that night. _

_When Wolf met his eyes just before he charged them, he was momentarily overwhelmed by the fire burning in his side and across his abdomen. He struggled not to double over and collapse. When the eye contact was broken, the fire subsided and he was able to function. _

_**Protect them... **It was the only thought that raced through his mind. The loss of one of these lives would be an overbearing burden to carry with him the rest of his life. The loss of Eames he would not survive. **Protect them...**_

_He would never have been able to do it himself. He never admitted to the others that he struggled because of the injuries to his side. More than anyone else, he owed Logan a debt he could never repay. In yanking Wolf off Eames at the last moment, he had saved her life. They'd hit Wolf together that last time, plunging off the pier into the river after each getting off a single shot. _

_The water was cold, a shock to his already weakened system. He lost his grip on Wolf. He couldn't fight the current, and after a struggle, he stopped trying. The water closed in over his head and that was the last thing he knew. It was over. He'd done his job, and now it was over. _

_But Logan was uninjured, still strong. He'd managed to keep track of him, to find him in the black water and drag him to the surface. Mike had pulled him from the river, alive. He had saved his life._

_Two weeks later, he had returned to the river. It was a very cold day, windy and snowing. He'd gone to the end of the pier and looked out over the river that had almost claimed his life. And then he'd looked down into the swirling current. A blinding pain in his side drove him to his knees, and in the water, he saw Wolf's face. It wasn't over...

* * *

_

Benjamin was kneeling at his side when he opened his eyes. He was trembling. The old healer spoke in a soothing tone, calming him. He still felt odd. His vision was blurry and he was intrigued by the patterns of light and shadow that traced everything he looked at. He struggled to focus on Benjamin, but there were several of him kneeling over him, and he was confused. He closed his eyes, returning to the dreams.

* * *

_She looked at him over her coffee, her eyes bright with amusement. She loved to pick on him, but that was all right. He'd repay her later, and he would look forward to it. He always looked forward to it. Once work was done and they were home, able to unwind and let the day fade away, he couldn't get enough of her. When she wasn't there, he suffered her absence._

_His smile faded suddenly and he looked out the window of the diner, a dark frown on his face. His body tensed against the fire that flared across his side and down to the stubborn bruise on his waist, the one he couldn't remember getting, that was not fading or going away. She had commented on it, but he just shrugged it off. It was just a bruise._

_His eyes searched the faces of the people passing the diner. He studied the people across the street,_ _waiting at the bus stop. His eyes continued toward the corner, and he froze, his body on edge. A familiar pair of yellow eyes met his and held them. He slowly got to his feet, then he bolted from the diner. By the time he got to the sidewalk, he was gone. _

_It took a lot of talking to convince her that he had been mistaken, that he thought he saw something but he was wrong. That night, she'd continued trying to find out what had caused him to bolt from the diner, and he made a mental note to make her work for information more often. At least for him, it was worth it...

* * *

_

Benjamin noticed a change in Goren's thrashing and moaning. His memories had shifted, and that was a good thing. He was making the connections he needed to make, finding strength in the past that would give him a future. His strength lay in two people: the woman he loved and the friend he trusted.

* * *

_He stepped up to the bar and ordered a scotch, neat. It was the third pub he'd been to that night. He didn't particularly want to be found. After the way he'd left the squad room, he knew they'd be looking for him, so he avoided the usual places, and the bars where cops hung out. His words said 'Leave me the fuck alone.' His actions, and his tone, told them more, and he knew they would read him like an open book. He'd let them both in far enough that they knew him. They knew when he really did need to be left alone, and they knew this was not one of those times. Even so, subconsciously, he was testing them. If he made it hard, would they keep trying?_

_He'd just started on his third drink, closing on number ten for the night, and he was feeling it. He paid no attention when someone slid onto the stool beside him, until he spoke. He ordered a bourbon on the rocks and said, 'What the hell is wrong with you? We've been all over the damn city looking for you.'_

_'We?'_

_'Yeah, asshole. We. Alex is on the other side of town, on her way over here to take your stupid ass home. You can be a lot of work sometimes, you know that?'_

_'So why bother?'_

_Logan was silent for a long moment. The bartender brought his drink and he took a swallow. 'I don't have an answer for that, Bobby. I know Alex does it because she loves you. It's that simple. As for me...hell, I'm your friend. I don't want to see you self-destruct. Best piece of advice I ever got was the one that told me to give you a chance. We're outcasts, you and me, always on the outside looking in. In some ways you fit in better than I do because you don't try to be an ass. You're just weird. Me, I am an ass and I know it. I rub people the wrong way, and I don't give a damn. But if two straight arrows like our partners can find reasons to like us and to keep us around, well, there's hope for us after all.' He finished his drink and signaled for another. 'It may not be a feather in your cap, having me as a friend, but there's no pretense with me. I'm not looking for anything but friendship. You can take it or leave it. It's up to you.'_

_He studied his hands. Logan was right. He had spent his life on the outside looking in. Sure he had friends, but most of the world saw him as an eccentric oddball and they steered clear. Here was an honest offer of real friendship. He downed his drink. 'I'll take it, Mike.'_

_'Good. I'd hate to have to shove it down your throat.'_

_They laughed at that, and then Logan said, 'Looks like your ride is here.'_

_He turned his head and saw his partner making her way toward them, a mixture of relief and anger on her face. She smacked the back of his head. 'Give me one reason not to kick your ass all the way home,' she hissed at him._

_Without hesitating, he kissed her, slipping his hand onto her waist to draw her closer. She only struggled for a moment before melting into the kiss. When he let her step back, it was clear she'd lost her bearings. 'Damn it, Bobby...'_

_'I'm ready to go,' he murmured into her ear._

_She jabbed her elbow into Logan's ribs when he started laughing. 'I know where you live, Logan. Keep it up and you'll have to start sleeping with your eyes open.'_

_'Nah. It's no fun looking all over creation for him alone. You'll keep me around.'_

_'Until you outlive your usefulness.'_

_'Never happen, sweetheart.'

* * *

_

Benjamin had spent many years learning to read people. In a balanced life, pain and pleasure countered one another. This man's life was so far out of balance, he wondered if there had ever been balance in it. But things were changing for him. He was closer to having harmony in his life than he had ever been, and it was all because of the same two people who gave him his strength. Both brought stability, and both brought balance. But most of all, they brought different levels of pleasure to counter the pain that had overwhelmed his life. They would prove as vital to his recovery as the ritual that would heal him.


	33. Connections

Benjamin knew when the time had come. Bobby had made all the connections and he was ready, but the remembering in combination with the herbal medicines had sapped his strength. It was time for dreamless sleep to recover his strength and his bearings. Benjamin eased him to a sitting position and coaxed him to drink a third brew. The sole purpose of this one was to induce a sleep that would not interfere with the progress he had made in recovering his memories. By morning, he would be ready for the ritual to begin.

He helped Goren to dress and then to stand, but his balance was still off and his mind was still foggy. Easing him back down to the mat, he said, "Stay there. Your friend Mike can help you to the house so you can sleep."

He frowned, confused. "Don't wanna sleep with Mike...just Alex..."

Benjamin smiled. "No, son. You'll sleep alone."

He got up and stepped outside into the cool evening air. Kelsey was in the yard; she always loved this time of day. He called to her. "Ask Mike to come here, Kelsey."

She waved and ran toward the house while he returned to the sweat lodge. Kelsey knew what he meant; she knew what to expect.

A few minutes later, Logan called from the doorway. "Hello? Kelsey said you needed my help?"

"Come in, Mike."

He let his eyes peruse the interior of the sweat lodge before they came to rest on Goren, laying on a mat in the center of the room, seemingly asleep. "Is he all right?"

"Yes. I need you to help him to the house. He's had a difficult time and he needs sleep now."

Benjamin knelt beside him and leaned down, speaking softly into his ear. Goren stirred. Once he was sitting, Logan dropped to one knee beside him. Goren looked at him and frowned. It was obvious to Logan that he couldn't focus. "Hey, man," he said gently.

Goren blinked a few times, then said, "I don't wanna sleep with you, Mike."

"Good, because I don't want to sleep with you either. Come on. Let's get you to your feet."

They helped him to stand and he staggered for a few steps before Logan could grab him. "Whoa, hold on there. The door's back this way."

"Gotta go through the door," Goren muttered.

Logan glanced at Benjamin, but the old man was busy on the other side of the lodge. "Uh, Benjamin..."

"Go on, Mike. I need to place a fresh poultice on his side once we get him settled."

"Okay, whatever you say. Come on, Bobby. This way."

"Which way?"

"Just come on with me. I'll steer; you just walk."

"Good idea."

* * *

Eames was concerned. "What does your grandfather need help with?" 

"Bobby needs a little help getting back up to the house."

"Help? Why? What is Mike supposed to do?"

"It's a gender thing. That's why Mike had to go. He's just going to help, that's all. The purification is a necessary part of the ritual, and it can be physically demanding. Bobby's going to need sleep now."

They waited in the living room until the door opened. Benjamin said, "Place him in my bed."

Goren was moving of his own accord, but he needed Logan's support. He stopped halfway across the living room and looked at his partner. She could tell he was having trouble focusing, but he smiled at her. "I...uh, I love you."

She smiled back, reassured a little. "I love you, too, Bobby."

He let Logan guide him back to the bedroom, where he collapsed onto the bed. Benjamin placed the poultice on his side and left the room. Goren grinned at his friend. "Gonna sleep now," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

"That's a good idea. You go to sleep."

Logan covered him with a blanket, drew the curtains and left the room. His face was a mixture of amusement and irritation. "What the hell did you give him? He's stoned off his ass."

Benjamin considered his wording. "In order for the healing to work, the patient must be entirely receptive to what is happening around him...all around him. In order to achieve that level of connection, consciousness must be altered so awareness can be raised. I have given him nothing dangerous. The danger lies in what is to come." Benjamin sat in his rocking chair and studied Eames and then Logan. Quietly, he explained, "There is little balance in his life. The purpose of our healing ceremonies is to restore balance after one has offended the gods. Bobby is not Dine, however, the spirit of the skinwalker who attacked him was. That spirit destroyed whatever balance existed in him, and it is slowly destroying his soul, which is why he is not healing. The purpose of this ritual will be to terminate the connection the skinwalker has established with him."

"Wolf is dead," Logan commented. "Why isn't Bobby getting better?"

Benjamin removed a pipe from a pouch hanging on the side of his chair and filled the bowl, tamping down the tobacco as he considered his answer. He lit the pipe and said, "The physical existence of the skinwalker has been terminated. But it lives on in different plane, a different reality, if you will. Think of your concept of afterlife. The man you call Wolf has passed into his afterlife. He was a powerful skinwalker, powerful enough to maintain a connection across the boundaries of two separate realms. That is very rare. This ceremony will terminate that connection and allow Bobby to regain his internal balance and restore harmony to his soul. Now, there is something both of you must understand. You are critical not just to his healing, but to his survival. He chose well in bringing you with him. Alex, you are his lifeline. You will be the one he seeks when he is lost. Prepare yourself to be the anchor that keeps him in this world. Mike, you are the balance. You are the one who keeps him focused on what he must accomplish. Prepare yourself to be his guide from the other side. In order to get past this, he must cross over and terminate the connection himself. No one can do it for him. It will take both of you to keep him connected to this world and this life."

Logan rubbed a hand over his hair. "How the hell do we do that?"

"You will know, Mike. When the time comes, you will know."

Eames shifted uncomfortably and looked at Logan, who was sitting next to her, looking as worried as she was. She looked back at Benjamin. "Have you done this before?"

"Yes. Twice."

"And the outcome?"

"One survived. One did not."

They looked at one another again, and Eames closed her eyes. Logan slipped an arm around her and hugged her. She rested her head against his shoulder. Logan frowned at the healer. "What if he doesn't want to come back?"

"That is always a possibility. There is nothing we can do. But I believe his connection to the both of you is stronger than that. I think he will fight to remain here, with you."

Logan shifted his eyes to Kelsey. Her face was somber. She said quietly, "Bobby will be all right."

_She has a lot of faith in Goren,_ Logan mused. But she was a kid and she idolized him. Logan knew only too well that Goren was not invincible. He had his limitations, whether he chose to recognize them or not. "I hope you're right, kiddo."

Eames looked toward the bedroom where Goren slept. "Will he sleep all night?"

"Yes. I have given him something that will keep away his dreams and make him sleep. I will watch over him. The ritual hut has been completed. Reynaldo will arrive tonight and make his preparations. All will be ready by dawn."

Benjamin rose and met Eames' eyes. "You love him, and you trust him. His feelings for you are no less than that, and possibly more. He will draw his strength from you and from Mike. He will return to you. Good night."

She watched him cross the room and enter the bedroom, closing the door. Then she looked at Kelsey. "So what do we do?"

She shrugged. "We wait. Reynaldo is the medicine man. When he arrives, he'll go right to the ritual hut. Everything he needs should be there, so we won't see him until we go down there at dawn. How about some chicken for dinner and a movie before we go to bed?"

Eames nodded. Logan hugged her tight. "Try not to worry, sweetheart. Benjamin was dead right about one thing. He'll come back to you. Trust him."

Since it was the only option open to her, Eames had no choice about what to do. But that didn't keep her from worrying and watching the closed door of the bedroom where he slept.


	34. The Ritual Begins

Benjamin dozed in the chair in his bedroom, but he remained aware of the man sleeping in his bed. His sleep remained deep and easy, induced by the medicinal draught he had given him. He would need this sleep for what would come. Just before dawn, he rose and prepared another cup of the narcotic brew he had given him the day before. If he was going to rid himself of the skinwalker's influence, he would need the ability to confront the evil one and break the bond. The only way he could do that was to cross over to where Wolf was, and he would need the induced state of mind the herbs provided in order to do that.

As the brew cooled, he left the room and walked down to the ritual hut. Entering, he breathed in the familiar scent of ritual smoke. In the center of the room, Reynaldo rose from his knees and approached him. "Benjamin," he said in a deep voice as he moved to embrace him. "Is he ready?"

"Almost. The brew is cooling."

"And the participants?"

"My granddaughter Kelsey is his friend. He saved her life last year in a subway explosion. She is anxious to help him."

"Good. Who else?"

"His partner, Alex. She is also his lover, bound by the heart and his anchor."

"Excellent."

"The third is his friend Mike, also a colleague. Mike saved his life the night Bobby killed the skinwalker. Alex and Kelsey were there also. Both of them were bitten by the skinwalker but suffer no ill effects because of his fixation on Bobby."

"And his injuries?"

"They have not healed. His spilled blood spared his friends from the skinwalker they call Wolf, but it has cost him."

"Does he know what is expected?"

"Kelsey and I have prepared him as best we can."

"And his friends?"

"They are willing to do whatever is necessary to save his life."

"The fourth position?"

"I will take it."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. He has Alex as his anchor and Mike as his guide home. They are his connection to this life. He will need someone to guide him on the other side. I have been there. I will guide him."

"Why are you willing to do this?"

"I know of him from Kelsey. He is a good man and she adores him. I love my granddaughter enough to do this for him."

Reynaldo nodded. He walked to the door and glanced outside. "Dawn draws near."

"I will give him the brew and bring them down."

"I will finish the preparations here."

Benjamin returned to the house. Gently, he woke Goren. Slowly, the detective sat up and groaned. The healer held out the cup, and Goren flinched. "I..."

He trailed off as Benjamin pressed the cup closer to his lips. "Drink. It is almost dawn."

With a soft sigh of resignation, he drank the brew. Benjamin took the cup. "Lie down for a little while while I rouse everyone."

Goren laid back and closed his eyes. Benjamin squeezed his arm and left the room. Logan was asleep at one end of the couch; Eames slept at the other end. He gently nudged her shoulder. "Alex..."

She groaned and stretched. Her eyes fluttered open. "How's Bobby?"

"Fine. It is almost dawn. We need to go to the ritual hut to begin. Please, do not eat or drink anything. I'm going to get Kelsey up if you will wake Mike."

"It'll be a pleasure," she smiled.

She watched the healer head for Kelsey's room and she gently kicked Logan's leg. "Hey, Mike." He grunted. "Come on, Logan. Get up. It's time."

Logan groaned and slowly sat up. "Where's the coffee?"

"No coffee. Nothing until after the ritual."

"Shit. We gotta do this on an empty stomach? What next? No, wait...don't tell me. I don't want to know."

He got up and stretched. "Shower?"

"No time."

"Dammit."

Kelsey came out of the bedroom with her grandfather as Logan was pulling on his shirt. "Hey, how's the big guy doing this morning?"

"He had a good night. It will be a trying day for him."

"Worse than yesterday?"

"Much."

"Okay...that's not what I wanted to hear."

He pulled on his shoes and looked at Eames, who was pulling on her jacket. Her face was grim, but mostly unreadable. He touched her hand and she gave him a tight grin. He looked at Benjamin. "Sun up yet?" he asked.

"Almost. We should be going. Kelsey, you and Alex go ahead. Reynaldo is waiting. Mike, come with me."

Logan groaned softly. He hated seeing Goren incapacitated. But he followed Benjamin into the bedroom. He watched the healer sit lightly on the bed and gently shake Goren's shoulder. "Bobby, it's time."

Goren groaned and opened his eyes. He was starting to feel the effects of the brew, but he could still function for the moment. He sat up slowly, looking at Logan for a few long seconds. He focused slowly. "Uh, morning, Mike."

Logan smiled. "Good morning. You ready for this?"

"For what?"

"Forget it. Come on."

He stood up and staggered a few steps. Logan and Benjamin grabbed his arms. "Hold the room still," he grumbled.

"You got it. Come on. Alex and Kelsey are waiting for us."

"Alex..."

"Yeah. Let's go."

Benjamin let Logan take him and lead him through the house and down to the ritual hut. He followed the two men, watching as Goren's steps became increasingly unsteady and he relied more on Logan for balance and guidance. He was almost ready. They entered the hut and Logan gently eased his friend to the floor beside Eames. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," he smiled. He noticed Kelsey, and he smiled at her, too. "Hey, little girl."

Kelsey returned his smile. "Hey, big guy."

Reynaldo came forward and knelt in front of him. "Bobby, I am Reynaldo. I will be conducting the ritual that heals you."

Goren could no longer focus but he nodded at the elder. "Hello."

Reynaldo smiled. "You may lay down over here on this mat. Relax. If you feel the need, sleep. It won't interfere with what is going to happen."

"What's gonna happen?"

"We are going to heal you."

"Oh. Okay."

Eames coaxed him to the mat and helped him lay down. He grabbed her arm. "Love you," he muttered sleepily.

She kissed his forehead. "I love you, too. Don't forget that."

"No way."

She caressed his cheek and he closed his eyes. Reynaldo called her name and she turned to look at him. "Sit at his head, Alex. You may hold his head in your lap if you wish. Mike, sit at his right side and Kelsey, at his left. Ben, you will sit at his feet. We are ready."

As they took their places, he dropped a bundle of herbs on a small fire at the far side of the hut and began to chant.


	35. An Unexpected Complication

The woods were familiar, but nothing else was. The smells, the sounds, the feel of the place...it was all wrong. He could have been here before, but he never was. Not this place. But it looked familiar, and there was one other thing he knew he'd felt before. He was being watched.

He proceeded cautiously, but the ground felt wrong. Even the air felt wrong. He knew where he was supposed to be, but he had no idea where he actually was. An odd chill penetrated his body, right down to his bones, and he shivered.

_Detective..._

He stopped. He knew that voice, but he couldn't quite place it.

_Detective Goren..._

Off to the left, coming out of a mist at the edge of the forest, he saw movement. He tipped his head to the side and watched, curious, as the image of a man came into focus. "John Tagman?"

_You remember me._

Of course he did. Tagman was a frequent visitor to his nightmares. "What are you doing here?"

_This is where I am. I exist here. Why are you here?_

"I...I've got to be dreaming."

Slowly the image of the young man shook its head. _This is not a dream, detective._

"I, uh, I'm looking for a man named Wolf."

_You're actually trying to find him? That's not something I would encourage you to do._

"Maybe not. But it's something I have to do."

The image pointed down the path. _Then keep going. Good luck...and thank you._

"Thank you?"

_For what you did for me when I was alive._

"For all the good it did."

_You weren't responsible for what happened. But you showed me mercy that I didn't deserve. _

He watched the young man slowly fade into the shadowy mist. He stood there and stared past the trees, but he could see nothing. After a moment, he continued down the path.

He couldn't have gone far when another voice called out from the mist. _Bobby._

Again he stopped. There was no thinking about that voice. He knew it. "D-dad?"

He couldn't suppress the involuntary tremor that coursed through his body as his father emerged from beyond the shadows. William Goren studied his younger son, looking him up and down slowly. _What the hell did you make of yourself? A cop...of all things..._

"Who I became, I owe, in part, to you."

_Do you now?_

"Yes. You showed me the kind of man not to be. Everything I am...it's because I'm something you were not."

The elder man approached him and he stepped back reflexively. _You were never part of me. As a son, you were a disappointment. Mommy's boy. _

He fairly spat the last two words. Goren remained withdrawn from the image of his father, refusing to let the man get close. He didn't know where he was, but he had the sense not to allow these images contact. "You taught by example, and I learned what not to be."

_I know I never encouraged you to be a cop._

"Only because you spent your life skirting the law. I live to uphold it."

_Where's the fun in that?_

"It's not all about fun. But I like my life."

_How is your mother?_

"She's being cared for."

_And what about you? Wife? Kids?_

He shook his head. "My life is fine the way it is."

His father snorted derisively. _You have no clue, boy. Let go once in awhile. Find yourself a couple of women who know how to take care of a man and have fun._

"I don't need..." He stopped. He wasn't going to step into it and give his father any more opportunity to deride him. "Go back where you came from, Dad. I...I don't need you to tell me anything about my life."

The old man watched his son head down the path. _That's not the way to go, Bobby. Nothing down that way but true evil. You cross the border into that realm, and there's no coming back. The thing that waits at the end of that trail makes me look like a saint._

"Then that's exactly what I'm looking for. Good-bye, Dad."

When he looked back over his shoulder, the path was empty. His father was gone. He breathed a sigh of relief, but it took time before the tremble of anger left his system. _Bastard_.

He continued on warily, eyes skirting the misty shadows to see what other phantoms from his past would materialize to taunt him. And all the while, he still had that eerie feeling of being watched.

* * *

The hut was filled with the sweet scent of the herbal bundles Reynaldo kept putting on the fire. Eames kept looking at Logan; both were uncertain. Her hands rested on either side of her partner's head, which was cradled in her lap. He slept restlessly. With every groan, she looked at Reynaldo, who did not react. He continued his chanting. To her left, Kelsey knelt, holding his hand. Her eyes were closed. And across from her, Benjamin knelt. His hands rested on Bobby's shins and his eyes were also closed. His lips moved as he silently followed Reynaldo's path through the ritual...and he prepared himself to enter the world where Bobby wandered alone.

* * *

The forest around him was changing. If he had felt before that many eyes were watching him, now he felt that most of those presences were gone. Few remained...but those few made him break out in a cold sweat. This was not good. _You cross the border into that realm, and there's no coming back. _Something told him he had crossed the border. 

Worse than the palpable evil surrounding him, though, was the fact that he had no clue where he was or how to get back to his life. But he continued forward, and soon the mist was drifting across the path. He found himself looking for a sign that identified the place as evil, followed by the same warning Dorothy and her friends got in the _Wizard of Oz_: "I'd turn back if I were you."

He didn't have to be a spiritual person to feel the evil that permeated this place, but he was a good person, and he knew he did not belong here. He instinctively looked back over his shoulder, then kicked himself with the reminder that there was no one there. He had no backup in this world. And even if he did, what good would it do? How do you defend yourself against the dead? Benjamin would know, and so would Reynaldo. But they weren't here. He walked this path alone, as he had through his life, until he got Eames as a partner. For the first time, he had a real companion along his life's path, and he was no longer alone. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but a good one. Part of him wanted her here with him now, but the larger part of him did not. This was a place where she definitely did not belong. He wanted no part of this mist-shrouded world to touch her.

He spun around suddenly, sensing rather than hearing someone behind him. A shadow in the deep mist became darker, but he saw no threat in the shadow. It was not a large shadow, nor a threatening presence. "Bobby?"

His heart rate increased. _No..._ "Kelsey?"

The young woman he called 'Little Girl' came out of the mist. She smiled and stepped into a hug. "Hey, big guy," she said affectionately.

He tipped his head down as she stepped from his embrace. "What are you doing here? This is no place for you, Kelsey."

"I'm quicker than my grandfather. He's coming. You can't do this alone, Bobby."

"I have to. This is my fight."

"So tell me how you're going to fight a spirit. And if you win, which way is the way home?"

He looked into the mist the way she had come, but she shook her head. "It changes, Bobby. The spirits who live this deep in the mist are trapped here for eternity. There is no fixed way out. Between Grandpa and Reynaldo, we will find our way back once you finish your business with Wolf. We are here to help you with that. We can't fight for you, but there are other ways we can help."

"Kelsey, you don't belong here. You should never have come."

"Grandpa can't do this alone. As it is we won't be able to guide you the whole way home. But we have to get you out of this place. I have been to this world before with Grandpa during healing ceremonies, and I knew where you would have to go to find Wolf. I've heard Grandpa and Reynaldo talk about the skinwalker realm. I knew this was not a place I wanted him to go alone, even with you here. So here I am."

"Kelsey, I can't ask you to do this..."

"You didn't. Sometimes you just gotta be man enough to take the help that's offered."

"If anything happens to you..."

"It's on me, not you. I am here of my own volition." She turned. "Grandpa is coming."

They watched a shadow approach from the mist and assume the form of the old healer. He stared at his granddaughter. "Kelsey..."

Bobby turned to her. "He did not expect you to be here."

"I never said he would."

Benjamin approached them. "Kelsey, you should not be here, in this place."

"But here I am. I'm going to help you, Grandpa."

Goren turned away, furious, and Benjamin closed his eyes, lips moving silently. With a sigh, Benjamin said, "It is too late; you are here. So much like your mother...Kelsey..."

"It will be different this time, Grandpa."

Goren was confused. "Did I miss something?"

Benjamin gave Kelsey a small nudge. She looked at Goren. "When I was about six, my mother did this same thing during a similar healing. The patient was her closest friend. Neither of them came back. There was nothing Grandpa or Reynaldo could do." She turned to face her grandfather. "I am not my mother. I can do this."

"Child, you have no idea. You are barely twenty years old. Your mother was almost thirty, and she had participated in rituals for more fifteen of those years. Your overconfidence will be your undoing. Remain at my side and obey me."

"I will, Grandpa."

Goren leaned toward her. "You should never have taken this risk, Kelsey."

"I had to do what I can, and I can do this."

Shaking his head, Benjamin placed a hand on her shoulder and she fell silent. "Maybe I will be able to guide us all out of here. Come, Bobby. We need to find Wolf."

They continued forward into the mist, Benjamin's hand firmly gripping his granddaughter's arm.

* * *

In the ritual hut, Reynaldo sat back, suddenly silent. Eames and Logan looked at him. He turned to the small table and tied together another bundle of herbs, tossing them on the fire. Then he began to gather different herbs in front of him. Once he was done, he approached the center of the hut and knelt between Eames and Logan, looking from one to the other. "There has been an unexpected complication." 

Eames paled. "What kind of complication?"

"Kelsey has made the crossing. She is with Bobby and Benjamin."

Logan raised his eyebrows. "That's a bad thing, isn't it?"

"Very bad. She is young and inexperienced. She wants to help, and she found her way to Bobby, which was no small feat. But she should not be there."

"So wake her up and bring her back," Logan suggested.

"It's not that easy, Mike. She must remain with them now. I only hope Benjamin can lead all three of them out. It would have been difficult enough with two."

Logan frowned. "You can't just go and get 'em?"

"No. I must remain here. And it is not a place I can send anyone. It's all up to Benjamin now. I will do what I can, but he is there, not I." He sighed wearily. "When Benjamin and Kelsey return, if they return, then it will be time for you both to go."

"'_If_ they return'?"

"Nothing is certain, Mike, especially in that place."

"And you want to send us there? Isn't that kind of like dropping us in the middle of a forest fire with a water pistol?"

Patiently, Reynaldo explained, "The place where they are now is the realm of the skinwalkers. It is a place of great evil. Even Benjamin will need help to guide them from it. His decision to do this was not easily made. Their lives are in grave danger in that place. If all goes well, Benjamin will guide them out, and he will bring Kelsey back, but he cannot bring Bobby back. That is not his place in Bobby's life. That is where the two of you come in. Alex, you are his anchor to this life, and you will find him on the other side. Mike, you will go with her to bring him home. You alone will know the way."

"Uh, did someone fail to mention my sense of direction leaves something to be desired?"

"Don't worry. You will come through for your friends." He walked to a small cot in the far corner of the hut. "There is nothing I can do right now. I am going to rest. When Bobby becomes restless again, wake me immediately."

Logan sighed. "I'm not even going to say what I'm thinking. Lay down beside Bobby and take a nap, Alex. I'll watch over him. We'll just take turns watching him until it's our turn to...uh, leave."

"Are you sure, Mike?"

"Go ahead. I'm not tired right now, anyway."

Easing Goren's head onto the mat, she stretched out beside him, rolled her body into his and tried to sleep.

* * *

The mist was too thick to see into by now, but still Goren pressed on. He could not see Kelsey and Benjamin behind him, but he knew they were there. He stopped suddenly, and they appeared beside him. He nodded his head toward the mist in front of them. "He's out there, and close." He stepped up to Benjamin and said, "Kelsey brought up a good point before, sir. How am I suppose to fight a spirit?" 

"The same way you would in the physical world. Your body is back with your friends, just as his body is buried in New York. In this realm, you are again on equal footing. Just remember, son: a soul can bleed."

Goren nodded. "I am very aware of that."

"And a soul can die."

He nodded again. "Yes, it can."

"You have a tremendous pool of resources to draw from, Bobby. Your friends are your strength. You will understand exactly what that means when the time comes. Good luck. We will wait here."

Goren nodded, looking once more at Kelsey, who was silent and withdrawn. He touched her chin and tipped her face up so he could see her eyes. "Thank you. If this...turns out badly...you, uh, you know what to tell Mike and Alex."

She nodded. "I know."

He rested his palm against her cheek, turned and disappeared again into the mist. Ahead of him he heard snarling, followed by a howl of rage. Then, a familiar voice, oddly accented and coarse, said, _Sergeant Goren, I have been waiting for you.

* * *

_

**A/N: _The Wizard of Oz_ is an MGM film.**


	36. Sacrifice

Goren wasn't sure what to make of the creature before him. It looked nothing like the man they'd fought on the pier, but he had no doubt that this was the same creature. Covered with thick fur, his head sported a small muzzle and triangular ears but he still had the appearance of a man. Yellow eyes, the same eyes he remembered seeing in the woods in Germany, the same eyes that watched him in New York, now glowed from the head of a spirit, a skinwalker.

"You wanted me to end your life."

Wolf shook his head as he stepped closer, circling Goren. "Teodor wanted his existence ended. I fought you right to the end. I was the one who drew your blood, and the blood of your friends. I am the one who maintains this link with you that threatens your life and has brought you here. Teodor is gone."

"So what now?"

"Now...we both have much to gain and much to lose."

"What are you talking about?"

"If you defeat me, you will sever your link with me and cement your link to your friends. Fail, and part of you shall become part of me. Then I shall return to your plane of existence to stalk them once again."

_Much to gain and much to lose_...his mind touched upon his partner, the warmth of her body against his at night...the love in her touch, her kisses...the one thing in his life that he simply could not lose, followed by Wolf's threat: _I shall return...to stalk them once again._ He could not allow that to happen. If Wolf returned, he would not be there to protect them, and that was unacceptable.

With a howl of rage, Wolf charged the distracted man, hitting him hard. There was no pain, Goren reflected oddly, but he felt something very strange, like strength being drained from him. And he was exactly right. Strength was being drained from him...the strength of his life force.

He turned to face Wolf and did not hesitate to go after the skinwalker. He had one powerful advantage that Wolf would never have. He had the ability to love and he could tap strength from the hearts of the ones who loved him.

* * *

In the ritual hut, Goren suddenly became restless. Logan had been sleeping for less than an hour when he heard Eames call to Reynaldo. "Something's happening." 

Reynaldo rose immediately and hurried to the table. He threw a bundle of herbs on the fire and came over to kneel between Eames and Logan. "It is beginning. He has found the skinwalker."

"Now what?" Logan asked.

"They are engaged in a struggle for one possession: Bobby's soul. If he loses, he will never return."

"How can he win?" Eames demanded. "Bobby's not a shaman."

"He will find what he needs within him, or he will die."

Logan frowned. "Suppose he doesn't have it in him?"

"He does, Mike. He has what it will take. All he has to do is find it, and let go of the things that hold him back."

Logan growled in frustration. "Do you always talk in fucking riddles?"

"Mike.." Eames chided. She looked at Reynaldo. "Can we help him?"

The old medicine man shook his head. "No one can help him, child. But you both should prepare yourselves. Ben will guide them from the skinwalker realm and then you and Mike must go and guide him home."

"Prepare how?" Logan demanded, still irritated.

"Let your thoughts dwell on your friendship, on how much he means to you. He derives his strength from the both of you, and he will need that strength now more than he ever has. Concentrate. That is how you can help your friend."

He returned to the low table and began heating water. And they heard from a distance the low rumble of thunder as storm clouds gathered on the horizon.

* * *

Wolf came into contact with him again, and he fought back, both gaining and losing ground with one another. Neither had gained the upper hand. Kelsey watched anxiously as Benjamin held her arm firmly. "Grandpa..." 

"There is nothing we can do, Kelsey. It is all up to him."

She turned her attention back to the battle as Wolf let out a growl of frustrated rage; he found his strength in his rage. Goren knew well what rage could do, and he'd often fought to keep his own from getting the better of him. Now, he felt no rage; he was having difficulty tapping that long-submerged well of fury. But he did feel desperation, knowing what was riding on the outcome of this fight. He could stir no feelings for his own demise; he wasn't afraid to die. But he was afraid...afraid of what it would mean to those he cared for, to those he loved, if he failed. And it was failure that he had always feared most. He hated to be wrong, but more than that, he hated to fail. And now...it was vital that he succeed. But he still hesitated to touch his rage, and his fears left him vulnerable.

Wolf hit him again, a full body assault, and Goren went down. The skinwalker gave him no chance to regroup and attacked again...and again...

Goren could feel his strength ebb, no matter how much he fought against it. His efforts had turned from offense to defense and now he struggled not to lose more ground, to be free from the monster who had him pinned. He refused to concede...but he was losing ground fast. He fought harder and he felt himself weakening faster. But he would not give up.

From out of nowhere, something hit Wolf hard, knocking him off Goren and freeing him from the skinwalker's grasp. He felt his strength return quickly and he jumped to his feet, only to find cold fear clench his gut. "No...!"

Kelsey had freed herself from her grandfather's grasp and attacked Wolf. Now she lay in the mist on the ground, not moving. Desperation and the fear of failure left Goren, replaced by a white-hot fury he quickly lost control of. He hit Wolf hard and never let up...

* * *

Outside the ritual hut, rain began to fall as the thunder grew closer and lightning lit up the darkening sky. Within the hut, Goren's restless thrashings had weakened, and Reynaldo shook his head. "He is losing. The skinwalker is too strong, driven by too much rage. Bobby cannot fight that." 

"So what does that mean?" Logan snapped. "What are you doing to help him?"

Reynaldo shook his head. "You do not understand."

Before Logan could respond, Kelsey suddenly cried out and collapsed. Reynaldo gasped. "No, child..."

Eames and Logan looked at each other. "What's wrong?" Eames demanded.

The medicine man was kneeling beside the young woman's body. "I do not know, but something terrible has happened."

Goren's head tossed on Eames' lap and he groaned. Strength had returned to him from somewhere and with a lump of icy fear in her gut, Eames made the connection and met Logan's eyes. "Kelsey did something...to help him. And it's going to cost her..."

She shifted her eyes to Kelsey's still form, then leaned down to kiss Goren's sweaty forehead. "Please," she whispered. "Be okay...both of you.."

* * *

Benjamin knelt beside his granddaughter as Goren continued the struggle with Wolf. He gathered her into his arms and carried her away from the fight. "Kelsey..." he whispered. "Child of my heart..." 

Goren gave the skinwalker no time to recover, continuing his assault against the spirit's strength and weakening him again and again. When Wolf went down, he still did not let up. And when the skinwalker's energy left his soul forever, Goren collapsed.


	37. The Path Diverges

Awareness returned gradually. Goren rolled over and groaned before slowly getting to his feet and stumbling toward Benjamin's kneeling figure. Looking down at Kelsey's still form, he whispered, "No..." and dropped to his knees with a groan. "What did you do, little girl?"

Benjamin looked at him. "Her sacrifice allowed you to get in touch with that rage inside you that you were afraid to access. She gave you what you needed to be successful."

"But...at what cost?"

"She felt it was worth it, to save you. My granddaughter is a rare soul and she has always felt everything deeply. She loves you, and she could not bare to see you fail, to lose you. You always touched her heart, Bobby."

Lowering himself to sit on the ground beside her, he gently pulled her into his arms and held her. He gasped softly, recognizing that odd energy-sapping flutter he first felt when Wolf hit him, but this was different. He wasn't left feeling weakened by it. Ignoring it, he turned his attention back to the young woman he held in his arms. He ran his hand over her hair and lightly kissed her forehead. "What were you thinking?" he grumbled. "I can take care of myself, you know."

Her head lolled against his shoulder and she gave a soft moan. "I know," she whispered. "You just need a little help sometimes."

He tipped his head down to look at her. "You shouldn't have done that," he murmured softly.

"You wouldn't have beat him, Bobby. He had you down for good."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. You're afraid of what's in here." She laid a hand on his chest. "But you shouldn't be. Sometimes you need the rage to balance you. Sometimes, it's not a bad thing." She took an unsteady breath. "Grandpa?"

Benjamin's entire demeanor spoke of relief. "I'm here, Kelsey."

"I'm sorry I disobeyed you."

"We will discuss it after you recover."

"That's fair. Can we go home now? I'm tired."

She nestled against Goren's broad chest and closed her eyes. He looked at Benjamin. "What happened?"

"When Kelsey hit the skinwalker, did she touch you?"

"I have no idea."

"She had to have, or he would have taken from her what you just returned. My granddaughter would make a powerful shaman, if that was her calling. She knew enough, intuitively, to trust you with part of her. That was what gave you the strength to continue fighting until yours returned. When you held her, she took back that part of her that you protected."

"I don't understand."

"Kelsey did not collapse because the skinwalker harmed her. She held back enough of her energy to sustain her, and the rest, she gave to you. When you thought he had harmed her, you were able to reach deep enough and rid yourself of your reluctance to use the rage that's in you to fight for your own life. Your guilt bogs you down, son,"

Both men rose to their feet, and Benjamin offered to take Kelsey. He understood when Goren refused. The old healer touched Goren's arm. "Come now. We must leave. The other evil that dwells here will not remain at bay for long. We must be gone by the time they overcome their fears."

"What fears?"

"The fight you just fought was fierce. I cannot say how much time has passed. Maybe hours, maybe days." He began walking down a path Goren thought had disappeared. "Had you lost, your courage and your passion would have become part of Wolf...and that would have given him access to the path to return him to the physical world. Since he lost, his energy was released into the cosmos. That is the only way to truly defeat a skinwalker. Otherwise, they do find their way back to torment us, eventually. In maintaining a link with you after his death, he drew you here for a final encounter. He did not expect to lose."

"What if I hadn't come here?"

"You would have died. And, in time, Wolf would have returned...maybe not to stalk your friends, but your children would never have been safe."

"I have no children."

Benjamin remained silent as they came to a fork in the path. "The path diverges for a reason, son. Kelsey and I must go this way, directly back to the physical world. You must follow this path. Look for Alex and Mike. They will find you and guide you home."

"But...why...?"

"You are not done yet. There are unresolved issues in your heart that must be addressed. I will take Kelsey home, and we will wait for you there. She will be fine, I promise." Reluctantly, Goren placed her in her grandfather's arms. Benjamin met his eyes. "Open your mind and your heart to the path that awaits you."

Goren watched Benjamin walk slowly down the path, carrying Kelsey back home. He hesitated, then headed down the other path.

* * *

In the ritual hut, Reynaldo remained beside Kelsey. Eames and Logan watched in silent apprehension. When Goren began to moan and thrash again, Reynaldo looked grim. Logan's eyes narrowed at the healer. "What's going on?"

"He is in a death struggle with the skinwalker. Only one of them will survive."

"How are we gonna know which one?"

"If he loses, he will die. And so, I am afraid, will this child."

Eames frowned. "Is Kelsey fighting, too?"

Reynaldo shook his head. "No. But he is fighting for his life--and hers. I do not think he realizes it, but he is."

Logan shuddered. "You know, all this is really creeping me out. I want to know what's going on, and I want my friend to be all right. That's why we came all the way the hell out here into the fucking desert, so he'll be all right. We didn't come all this way to lose two people!"

"Your anger will not change the outcome, Mike. It's entirely up to Bobby now. The skinwalker is strong. If your friend cannot, or will not, reach inside him for the power he has to defeat him...there is nothing we can do to make him do that." He sighed and looked down at Kelsey, who was barely breathing. "All we can do is wait."

"Yeah, well, I'm no good at waiting."

"Mike," Eames said softly. "Please..."

He shifted his eyes to her. She was sick with worry, he could see. Reaching out, he touched her hand, which she allowed him to take and hold. He sat back with a frown, holding her hand but still not liking the situation at all. Mike Logan hated feeling helpless and he'd never felt more helpless than this in his life.

* * *

For hours, Kelsey remained too still. Eames held Goren's head in her lap, stroking his sweaty forehead as he intermittently thrashed and groaned. Logan just sat there, feeling useless and annoyed, but he stopped complaining, at Eames' request.

Eames sat upright suddenly when Goren went still. She looked at Logan, and then Reynaldo. "What's going on?"

Reynaldo waited, watching both Goren and Kelsey closely. Slowly, Kelsey's breathing became deeper and more regular. Goren's condition didn't change. The healer nodded. "It is over."

He rose to his feet and walked to the table. Logan looked at Eames and frowned. "That's it? 'It is over.' That's all you have to say?"

"What else would you have me say? Your friends still live. Bobby is no longer struggling and Kelsey is no longer near death. Do you need further interpretation, Mike?"

Eames started laughing and Logan gave her an annoyed glare. "I'm _really_ hating this, just so you know that," he snapped at her irritably.

"It's no picnic for any of us, Mike. Just settle down." She looked over at Reynaldo. "Now what?"

"You and Mike must prepare to guide Bobby home."

"You know," Logan said, trying to sound profound. "I was just wondering...since Benjamin is already there...why can't he bring Bobby back, too?"

Reynaldo sighed impatiently, reminding himself that all of this was a new experience to Eames and Logan. "Bobby has a restless soul, tormented by many things. Where he is now, he has the opportunity to resolve some of those issues. Ben cannot help him. But you and Alex can, if you're willing. I know that Alex still is. What about you, Mike?"

Logan sighed. "I didn't come all this way to be a wallflower. I promised him I'd help, if I could."

"There is more to it than that. You have to _want_ to help him."

"I'm the balance, Rey, and I'm his guide. Point me in the right direction and I'll get him home, sooner or later."

Eames smacked his shoulder. "This is serious, moron."

"Relax, honey. I am serious. We'll go over to wherever it is he's at and we'll bring him home. And then we'll go back to New York and he can spend the next two-and-a-half years making it up to me for scaring the shit out of me like this."

"You're an idiot."

"So I keep getting told."

She shook her head. "What do we have to do, Reynaldo?"

He brought them each a cup of hot liquid. "Drink."

"What is this?" Logan said, sniffing the brew and wrinkling his nose. "It smells...bad."

"It is a mixture of herbs that will help you make the crossing."

"Is this the same stuff Ben gave Bobby in the sweat lodge?"

"No. It is similar but nowhere near as strong."

Eames downed her drink and shuddered, handing the empty cup back to Reynaldo. Logan looked into the dark liquid, closed his eyes and drank it. He handed the cup to the healer and said, "Yuck."

Eames laughed again and he gave her an annoyed look. Reynaldo returned the cups to the table and said, "Lay down in your places; maintain physical contact with Bobby."

Logan laid down beside his friend and grabbed hold of his arm, looking at Eames and saying, "I am not going to hold his friggin' hand."

She shook her head with a small smile and said, "Idiot."

"Thank you."

She laid down at Goren's head and placed her arm along his head with her hand resting on his chest. "Okay, Reynaldo. Now what?"

"Now close your eyes and simply listen. Do not be afraid; do not struggle against anything you feel. When you are aware of being in the spirit realm, remain together and go to find Bobby. He knows you are coming, but he may be too distracted to search for you. You must find him. Whatever happens, do not separate from one another, and once you find Bobby, do not let him leave your presence. Bring him home."

Logan grunted. "And I'm supposed to know the way?"

"You will."

"Suppose I take a wrong turn somewhere along the way and we end up on Jupiter?"

Reynaldo smiled. "You will not guide them wrong. Trust yourself."

"That's easier said than done."

"Okay, fine," Eames said. "Get us lost and you'll spend eternity getting smacked upside your fat head."

"Thanks for the incentive, Alex. I'll remember that."

Conversation ceased and Reynaldo began to chant.


	38. Alone, But Not Lonely

Goren ambled along the path, cautious but not alarmed in any way. His eyes scanned the area, ever vigilant, but he was alone. Alone, but not lonely. Therein was the difference. In his life, he had always walked down a path no one else could follow. Son of a schizophrenic mother and apathetic father, brother to a man who could have had everything but threw it all away for nothing, an outsider to the world of normalcy...a life filled with failed relationships, broken partnerships, awkward interactions with the world at large...a lonely life.

He wandered down the path, watching the trees, the ground, the sky. It could be a forest path through the Catskills, the Poconos, the Rockies...he loved places that offered solitude. The hustle and bustle of the city throbbed with energy, and he thrived on that. But sometimes, he craved a solitude he could never find in New York, not even in the parks he loved. So he'd take off to walk along the beach, hike in the woods, sit on a mountain and enjoy a bird's-eye view of a world that did not judge him.

Coming to a clearing, he sat down on a fallen log, resting his elbows on his knees and looking at the ground at his feet. Dirt, leaves, bark, grass...but no insects. He loved to watch the busy scurry of ants and beetles, listen to the hum of bees and flies, study the activity of a spider in its web, search for the unusual—walking sticks, mantises, anything odd...anything that didn't quite fit in, like him.

But there were no insects here. He heard no animals moving among the trees. No squirrels chasing one another, no chipmunks, rabbits, or deer, not even a bird. He lifted his head and looked around, noticing the surreal silence that surrounded him, a complete silence that did not exist in the physical world. Not another living creature was to be found here. He had never been quite this alone. And yet, he still did not feel lonely, and that made him feel odd. Alone, but not lonely.

That thought derailed his mind from the path it had been meandering and slammed it onto another. _Alex_. Partner, lover, friend... If he could identify one relationship in his life that was not messed up, not a disaster in the making, one relationship that brought him a peace of mind and body he had been able to find nowhere else, his relationship with Alex would be it. Alone and lonely in a city pulsing with the lives of over ten million residents, he was a paradox. But when he was with her, the loneliness left. When he was with her, he felt like he did on the beach or in the woods. He no longer felt like an outsider in the world. She brought him in and let him participate in the world around them in a way he had not been able to manage before on his own. She never tried to make him into something he was not; she simply accepted him and she still loved him. She did not judge him or criticize him. And she was not afraid to correct him or contradict him. She stood up to him, no matter what, when the situation warranted it, but she did it in a way that never left him feeling rejected. Her words told him: _You're being an asshole._ Her eyes told him: _But I love you anyway, stupid._ She knew contradiction would bring doubt, and she never let him get that far. _I love you anyway._

Never lonely...not with her. Here, he was alone, even if the loneliness that had chased him all his life was gone and he felt good about existing. There, he was often alone, but everything had changed the first time she told him _I love you._ Three important words that had always been hollow in his experience, until she spoke them. From her, they held real substance because he knew she meant it. She did love him. It wasn't a warped and twisted kind of love from a mind that simply could not mesh with its heart. It was pure and simple...just love.

He got up and continued walking. There seemed to be no night and day, no concept of the passage of time. He could have been here for hours; he could have been here for years. And again, his thoughts turned to her. He needed to get back, but he had no idea how to get there. He didn't know where he was in relation to where he wanted to be. All he knew was he wanted to be with her. She was the one who made everything in his life worthwhile. She was the one who held the key to his desires. He lived his life one day to the next; it never really mattered too much if there would be a tomorrow. Things would take care of themselves. Do your job and live your life, such that it was. He didn't really want to die, but he wasn't afraid to face his own mortality. His desire to live before she entered his heart could have best been described as marginal. Now, life held more for him than the job gave it. Now, he felt as though he were truly living. She opened up the world to him, and he wanted to experience it...with her. All that was left for him here was to find his way back to that world and to her. But he didn't know how to do that. He had been dropped into the wilderness of a foreign existence and left to flounder. As brilliant as his mind was, he had no idea how to find his way.

* * *

Logan looked around and shuddered. "Where the hell are we?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it? I'm supposed to find our way home, sweetheart. How can I find the way home if I don't know where we are to start with?"

She rolled her eyes. Faith was hard for a guy like him. "Just trust yourself, Mike. I trust you."

She started off down the path through the trees. Stunned, he shook it off and trotted after her. "That may be the biggest mistake of your life, Alex."

"Why?"

"Trusting me? Don't you listen to the scuttlebutt around the water coolers of the NYPD?"

"If I did, do you think I would have ever stayed partners with Bobby? I learned a long time ago to trust the man, not the rumors. I've given you that same benefit of the doubt."

He sighed as he fell in step beside her. "If he didn't love you, I would."

"You don't?"

"Not like he does. I have never loved anyone that way."

She turned her head to look at him. "What way?"

"If you don't know by now, he's doing something wrong."

"What has he told you?"

"Oh, no. I'm not going there. The confidentiality of the pub is a sacred trust. When you bond over beer, and then go and tell, you get your ass kicked. He's got a lot of power behind his punches, and I want to stay on the right side of him, thank you."

"Coward."

"Damn straight. I get into enough fights. I don't want to fight with him. I'm not that stupid."

"He's not a fighter."

"No, he's not. But that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to fight. Believe me, he's the guy to have on your side. You don't want to go up against him, I don't care what the odds are. And the more he's had to drink, the harder he hits. That restraint he handles so well kinda leaves and that just means trouble. It also means the fight'll be over in a couple of punches, but that's beside the point."

"You've been in fights with him?"

"No. I've been in the fights. He just ended them." He looked around. "Where the hell are we going?"

"To him."

"You know where he is?"

"Somehow, yes. I do."

"So where is he?"

She pointed down the path, to where it ended in a small clearing. Logan could make out a figure wandering around the clearing. He knew the silhouette and the gait. She smiled. "Give me a minute. Just stay in sight."

"Don't worry about that. I have no intention of wandering around here by myself."

He stopped near the edge of the clearing while she went on. She watched Goren move about as she approached, but she saw no sign of the restless anxiety that often plagued him. He was just...wandering, as though he was searching for something. ""What are you looking for?"

He turned to face her. "Alex," he whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for you."

"Am I dreaming?"

"If you are, we're having the same dream and sharing it with him."

She indicated the man at the edge of the clearing and Goren smiled. "How'd you get him here?"

"They didn't really give him a choice. Don't worry. You'll pay him back for it."

"Over and over again, I'm sure." He tipped his head, a gesture of curiosity. "But why are you here? I had to come."

"So did I. You're lost, Bobby. I came to bring you home."

"Lost?" He looked around. Yes, he was lost. His eyes came back to rest on her. "I've always been lost."

"Not any more."

He stepped closer, close enough to touch her, which he did, tentatively. When she didn't disintegrate before him, he slid his hand along her cheek, into her hair, and drew her closer. As he kissed her, she slid her arms around his neck and returned the kiss. When he pulled back, she let him go. "You came here," he murmured. "For me?"

"Do you think there's anything I wouldn't do for you?" She sighed impatiently when his face grew thoughtful. "I meant that rhetorically. Have you done what you needed to do?"

"I think so. Sit down for a minute. I want to tell you something."

She sat down on the stump of a tree but he remained standing, moving in that perpetually energetic way of his. Sometimes she loved to just watch him, admiring his easy grace, among other things. Other times, simply put, he exhausted her. "I, um...I haven't had a good life. You know that. But there is something else I want you to know." He stopped pacing and looked at her. "It's been...different, since you've been in it. You've somehow showed me what a good life can be, and in the last year, it's only gotten better. I could be tempted to stay here. It's peaceful. I'm not on edge like I usually am. There's no one here to judge me, no pressure to fit in anywhere. There's nothing bad here, nothing to haunt me." He looked at the ground, hands in his pockets, and shifted from one foot to the other. "But you aren't here, either, and it's with you that I need to be. You know how much I keep to myself, how I prefer to be alone a lot of the time. That's the pattern of my life; it's what I'm comfortable with. But with you, I'm not lonely any more. Thank you for that." He looked up at her without raising his head. "I wanted you to know how much you mean to me, and what you are to me, in my life. I love you, Alex."

He held out his hand, which she took as she got to her feet. She continued moving forward, into his arms, and she kissed him. "I love you,too. And you have to know that you do the same for me, Bobby."

His mouth twitched in amusement. "Not quite, baby. You have a good place in the world. You have a family that loves you, parents who care deeply. You fit in as a cop. You'd fit in anywhere, and succeed in whatever you chose to do. I only know how to be a cop, but I really don't fit in, even there. If I wasn't a cop, you'd probably be arresting me. That's the only other world I understand. You're different than I am, but that's a good thing. You keep me in line."

"And between you and Logan that's a full time job."

He laughed. "Barek makes him mind his p's and q's."

"Only when she's around," she said with a small laugh that was music to his ears.

Logan straightened away from the tree he'd been leaning against as they approached him. He accepted Goren's outstretched hand and quick embrace. "I haven't even begun to calculate how many ways you owe me, man."

"That's all right, Mike. I'll accept your repayment terms."

"You feeling okay?" he asked with legitimate concern.

"I feel good. I may change my mind after we get back, but right now, I'm as good as I've ever been. Better, maybe."

Logan looked around. "It's nice here. Nothing to bite, sting or eat you."

"Says the consummate outdoorsman," Eames interjected.

"I never professed to even like the outdoors," Logan protested. He pointed an accusatory finger at Goren. "I went fishing last summer because he dragged me along. If you'll remember I got sunburned, eaten alive by mosquitoes, stung by a damn bee, hooked—how many times?"

"Eight."

"Yeah, hooked eight times, and bitten by three fish."

"You stuck your hand in their mouths."

"That's where the damn hook was. You told me to get it out."

"Not that way."

"I'd never been fishing before, moron. And I never will again if I can help it."

"You will."

"Maybe I should just leave your ass here."

With a suppressed snicker, Eames said, "Remember what I told you about eternity, Mike? I can make the rest of your life seem like an eternity, if you really want me to."

He looked at her, then back at Goren. "No, thanks. I'll pass on that. Come on. Let's go home."

They walked along with him down a different path than the one they had taken to get there, but no one questioned him. Goren looked sideways at Eames when she slipped her hand into his, and he tightened his hand firmly around it. He saw the small smile that touched her mouth, and he was content. He turned his attention back to Logan. "You know where we are?"

"I have no clue."

"You know where we're going?"

"Home. Well, back to the ritual hut, anyway. Then home." Hopefully, he added, "Right?"

Eames gave him another smile. "Yes, Mike. Then home."

He let out a sigh. "Good. I want a hot dog."

"A hot dog?" Goren repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, a hot dog. From one of the street vendors. A good friggin' hot dog." He looked Goren square in the eye. "You're buyin'."

Goren laughed. "I can handle that."

"You're buyin' the beer, too. And I'm thirsty."

He looked away, and didn't see the smile and wink Goren gave his partner. She leaned her head into his arm and squeezed his hand. He kissed her head, then looked at Logan. "Uh, Mike?"

"What?"

"You do know how to get us back, don't you?"

"Not a clue, buddy. I know how to get us to a certain point. Then I guess it's up to Reynaldo and his smoke to make sure we wake up. I don't know how it works. He told me I'd know the way, and damn if I don't. I have no idea how; I just know this is the way we need to go."

Logan was surprised that they didn't question him. In silence, they simply walked with him. They trusted him. He wasn't like Goren; he wasn't great with words. And even in his mind, he had no words to explain how that trust made him feel. For the first time in his life, he felt accepted, like someone actually wanted him around. His life was good right now, and a large part of that was because of these two people he called friends. And for once, thanks to them, Logan trusted himself, heading down a path he somehow instinctively knew they had to follow. They were on their way home.


	39. Recovery

Logan groaned softly and raised a hand to his head, which was throbbing. He felt gentle hands lift his shoulders and a cup touched his lips. He took a drink, and it tasted horrible, but he took another drink and his head began to clear. The throbbing subsided. "Shit..." he grumbled. "Anyone get the number of the truck that hit me?"

He sat up with help and slowly eased his eyes open. A small, gentle hand rested against his cheek and he looked into soft brown eyes. Kelsey smiled. "Okay now?"

"Better. Not okay yet." He looked toward Eames, who was propped against Benjamin's torso. He was talking to her. Then his gaze shifted to Goren, who had not moved at all. "Are they...?"

"Alex is waking, and she'll be fine. Bobby...will take more time to recover. My grandfather said it will be a day or more before he wakes."

"But he will be okay? I mean, we didn't go trouncing around Spooksville for nothing, did we?"

"Only you can answer that question, Mike," Reynaldo answered for her. "Was this worth it?"

He motioned Logan over to Goren's still form and moved his shirt up to reveal the slashes he had received from Wolf on Halloween night. They were completely healed. Four thin red lines, almost fully healed, remained, the only remnant of the festering wounds that had defied conventional medical treatment. Logan reached out and ran a finger along one of the scars. Goren's skin temperature was completely normal. "How...how did that happen?"

"The skinwalker no longer has any claim to him. His body, and his soul, have been freed from the grip of the one you called Wolf."

A small hand touched his, skimming down his fingers to caress Goren's healed side. "Where did they go?" Eames asked.

Logan looked at her. "Rey here says he's healed, inside and out."

She looked at the healer. "Thank you."

"I was merely a facilitator. He did the work, and so did you."

"What work?"

"You believed in him. Sometimes faith takes more effort than action, love is a greater motivation than any reward and friendship makes any risk worth taking."

"You make my head hurt, Reynaldo," Logan complained.

Eames, however, remained silent, running her fingers through Goren's sweaty hair and leaning down to gently kiss him. Logan reached out to brush a stray lock from her face and tuck it behind her ear. "I told you he'd come back to you, didn't I? He's gonna be fine, sweetheart." He sighed and looked at Reynaldo and Benjamin. "I suppose now you guys are gonna tell me we have to carry him back up to the house."

Reynaldo shrugged. "The ritual has ended. This hut must be burned."

"Oh, goody...a barbecue. Who's bringing the marshmallows?" Kelsey laughed, but Benjamin and Reynaldo remained serious and he sighed. "Okay, okay...let's get him back to the house."

* * *

Eames tucked the blankets around him as Logan stood at the window in Benjamin's room, watching flames consume the ritual hut. He found fire fascinating, and he respected it. He'd thought it was cool to start fires and watch them burn when he was a stupid kid. Okay, maybe he wasn't that much brighter now, but after one fire got away from him when he was twelve and nearly killed him, he learned his lesson. Yes, he could be taught. He was content now to watch from a distance as the flames licked up at the roof of the little building in the dark of the night. He leaned against the wall beside the window. "How are you feeling, Alex?" 

"Tired, but not bad. You?"

"I don't know." He turned his head to look at her. "You...trusted me. Without question."

"Why wouldn't we? You came all this way to help us. You saved him from the river that night; he would have died then, Mike. You know that."

"He did his part that night, Alex...for all of us. He drew Wolf's animosity away from the rest of us and he suffered for it. He almost died, that swim in the river aside."

"He _would have_ died, if we hadn't come here."

"I know. Time was short for him. Now...he'll be okay." He sighed and turned away from the window. "I'm really friggin' tired. Who knew playing with spooks and specters would be so exhausting?"

She threw a pillow at him and he caught it with a chuckle. Returning the pillow, he kissed the top of her head. "Good night, Alex."

"Good night, Mike."

* * *

The room was dark, but not dark enough to be night. When he rolled toward the edge of the bed, every muscle in his body screamed in protest, making him wonder how long he'd been out of commission. When he moved to sit up, he noticed something missing: pain. His side no longer throbbed and burned. He no longer felt the sheen of a fevered sweat across his forehead and torso. When he stood, he felt a little light-headed, but not on the verge of collapse as his body reached the limit of its tolerance. He moved his hand to his side, but the moisture of oozing wounds was gone. Sliding his shirt up toward his chin he ran his hand over almost-healed flesh, amazed. He let his shirt fall back into place as he headed out of the bedroom. 

It was early evening. He heard familiar voices coming from the kitchen. "Since when do you think you know how to cook?" Eames snapped, but there was no bite to her tone, just amusement.

"I can't. But isn't chicken meat supposed to be white?" Logan asked.

He stepped into the doorway and leaned against the wall, smiling. "Not if it's smoked. Then it will be pink."

Eames looked up at him from the bird she was carving. Shoving the knife and two-pronged fork at Logan she stepped into her partner's arms. He held her against him and accepted Logan's outstretched hand. Logan grinned. "You look good," he commented. "There's a healthy color back in your face."

"I feel good."

"Yes, you do," Eames commented.

Logan laughed as Goren leaned down to kiss her. "Are you two all right?"

"Fine," Logan answered. "And I have two words for you: hot dog."

It was Goren's turn to laugh. "You got it, Mike. Where's Kelsey? Is she okay?"

Eames nodded against his chest. "She's fine. She's outside with her grandfather."

Logan grabbed his arm before he could turn to leave. "Uh, how much longer until we can go home? Barek actually says she misses me and I need to take advantage of that."

"We can head back to Phoenix tomorrow and fly out the next day if we can get a flight."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

He gave Eames another kiss and released her. "I'll be right back."

He headed for the front door, stepping out onto the porch in the twilight. He stepped into the yard and walked around the house, heading toward the still-burning ritual hut, where Kelsey, Benjamin and Reynaldo tended to it. Kelsey saw him first and ran into a warm hug. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and said quietly, "You took a huge risk, little girl."

"I know. But it was worth it."

He wasn't as certain, but he let it go, tightening his arms around her before releasing her. He shook Benjamin's hand. The elder man smiled. "How do you feel?"

"Good. Better than I have in a long time. Thank you for what you did."

"You are welcome. Bobby, do you remember Reynaldo?"

Goren extended his hand toward the healer and shook his head. "No, I don't."

"Reynaldo conducted the ritual."

He nodded. "Thank you. I, uh, I don't remember the ritual."

"I am not surprised. Do you remember anything else?"

"Yes. I remember Alex and Mike in a wooded place, a nice place, and the fight with Wolf in the fog, what Kelsey did. I saw...ghosts, from the past...ones that have...haunted me..."

Benjamin studied him closely. "Your eyes are clear, no longer filled with pain. Some of what has haunted you has been chased from your soul."

"How-how did that happen?"

"It was a healing, son. A part of your soul was healed, and that chased away some of the evil that has touched you."

He couldn't imagine that Benjamin had any idea of the evil that had touched his life, but it was nice to think some of it could have been purged from his soul...and his nightmares. "We, uh, we'll be leaving in the morning; we need to get home. Kelsey?"

She nodded. "That's fine. I miss Steve."

Benjamin kissed his granddaughter's head. "Go and eat; get your rest." He returned his eyes to Goren. "You and Alex may remain in my bed. Reynaldo and I will be tending to the burning of the hut until dawn. I will sleep after you have left."

"We appreciate your hospitality."

"I am glad you chose to come and that we could help you. Now go--you need food."

Kelsey headed back to the house with Goren. "You're sure you feel okay, Bobby?"

"Positive. And you? He didn't do any damage, did he?"

"No. I did what I did solely to help you. I wasn't hurt."

"How did you know to do that?"

"I was raised by a healer, Bobby. My mother was a healer. I've been around these healings all my life. I...just knew how I could help you."

"Your grandfather didn't agree."

"I know. He doesn't want to lose me like he lost my mother."

"I agree with him."

"I don't, and it turned out well. You wouldn't have defeated him otherwise; you would have been lost."

"Thank you. Now behave."

She laughed and rested her head against his arm. He gave her a hug as they reached the porch steps. She bounded up the stairs into the house, but he hesitated. He looked out into the desert, well-lit by the full moon that rose in the east. He looked to his side as Eames joined him, slipping her arm around his waist and resting her head against him. "You scared me. I was afraid we were going to lose you."

"Almost, but not quite, thanks to Kelsey."

"You're sure you feel all right?"

"I feel good, Alex. Better than I have in longer than I can remember."

She slipped her hand under his shirt and gently rubbed his abdomen. He closed his eyes and kissed her head as she said, "Come on inside and eat. You haven't had a bite in a couple of days."

"That's not all I haven't had," he teased.

She laughed and stepped away. "We'll have to remedy that. But you need to eat first. Come on."

She slid her hand down his arm and closed her hand around his, leading him into the house.


	40. A Spectacular Failure

March weather could be unpredictable, but it was a very nice day. Logan approached Goren's desk. "Hey, where'd Alex go?"

"She had a doctor's appointment. She picked up a bug when we were in Arizona and she's having a hard time shaking it."

"So you want to skip lunch, or wait for her?"

"Neither. She's going to pick up something after her appointment. I can take lunch with you guys."

Logan grinned. "Excellent."

Goren leaned back in his chair and studied him, amusement bright in his eyes. "Don't you ever get tired of hot dogs?"

"Not a chance, pal. I've been eating them since I was a toddler and I've never gotten tired of 'em. You still have lots of 'em to buy, buddy."

From behind him, Barek said, "Logan has an affinity for hot dogs, Bobby."

"So I've discovered." He grinned at her and said, "Come with us. It's a nice day."

They headed out of the building for lunch. Barek watched the two men joke with one another and she smiled. Since they had returned from Arizona, she noticed a connection between them that had not been there before. Logan tried to explain to her what had happened, but he found himself short on words, and he wasn't sure how Goren felt about discussing it, so he didn't ask. He suggested that she call Kelsey if she wanted to know more. Kelsey probably knew more about what had happened than any of them did. She could answer all Barek's question better than even Goren could. Logan had been there and he wasn't sure exactly what had happened to them. All he knew was that they'd saved Goren's life, and that, in his opinion, had made it all worthwhile.

* * *

On their way back from lunch, Goren's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and frowned. "The office," he muttered, flipping the phone open. "Goren." 

_Where are you?_

His face relaxed into a warm smile. Logan grinned at his partner and whispered, "It's Eames."

He laughed when Goren rammed into him with his shoulder as he continued the conversation. "What'd the doctor say?"

_It's not a bug._

"Then what is it?"

_Where are you?_

"Coming back from lunch. You want something?"

_No, thanks. I just...need to talk to you._

His brow creased with concern. "Is it serious? Are you all right?"

_I'm just fine. And I think it depends on how you choose to define 'serious.'_

"Eames..."

_Relax. I'm healthy. I'll talk to you when you back._

"Okay...you're sure you're okay?"

_Positive, Bobby. I'll see you shortly._

He closed the phone, frowning. Logan stepped into his line of vision. "Something wrong?"

"I don't know. She said it's not a bug but she won't tell me what he found."

"That can't be good."

Barek smacked him as Goren muttered, "Thanks, Logan."

"Ow, hey...what?"

"You are so clueless sometimes it's a wonder you can dress yourself in the morning," Barek snapped. She moved closer to Goren and rested her hand on his arm. "I'm sure she's fine, Bobby."

He gave her a brief smile. "Thanks," he replied softly, even if he wasn't reassured. Unconsciously, he began walking faster, concern driving him to hurry back to the squad room, to see for himself that she was all right.

"Go on," Logan encouraged. "We'll meet you back in the squad room. I'm not running back to work."

Goren deliberately focused on slowing down. "I'm sorry."

"Seriously," Logan said. "Go ahead. You'll hurt yourself trying to slow down. Go."

Barek nodded in agreement. "Go on," she said. "We'll be right behind you."

"If you're sure..."

He didn't wait for an answer. Logan laughed quietly and looked at Barek. "You don't think anything's really wrong with her, do you?"

"I hope not."

"That's a less encouraging answer than mine was."

"But I didn't tell _him_ that, moron."

"I'm so glad I'm not a woman."

"So am I, partner. You'd make a scary woman."

"Thanks, Barek."

"Just being honest."

"That's what I love about you. You call a spade, a spade."

"No point in calling it anything it isn't. When you're being a moron, I let you know it."

Sometimes, it was exactly what he needed.

* * *

Eames was nowhere in sight when he got to the squad room, so he went in search of her. He'd caught his breath again by the time he found her, sitting quietly in conference room four. "Hey...what're you doing in here?" 

"Oh, I just wanted someplace quiet and out of the way, that's all."

He pulled up a chair and sat beside her. "Are you all right?"

She took notice of the sweat in his hair and trailed two fingers down his cheek. "I told you I was. You didn't have to run."

"I didn't run."

She laughed softly and leaned forward to give him a gentle kiss, something she rarely did in their current surroundings. "I'm fine, Bobby. Really. I didn't pick up any virus in Arizona."

"Then why have you been feeling sick lately?"

She sighed and studied her hands for a long moment, trying to decide the best way to tell him what the doctor had discovered. "I, um..."_ Be direct with him, _her mind scolded. _It's always been the best way to handle him._ "I'm pregnant, Bobby," she said gently.

He stared at her, stunned. She knew by the look on his face that his mind had just shut down and she smiled, leaning forward to give him another kiss. "These things happen. Birth control fails...sometimes in a spectacular way."

"S-spectacular? Uh, what...?"

Great...he couldn't form a complete sentence. She almost laughed, but that definitely wouldn't help the situation. "Well...the doctor wants to keep a closer eye on me this time. It's a little bit different than it was when I carried Jake."

His head was spinning. "Uh, different...?"

At least he was listening. "Yes. This time around, I'm carrying twins."

That did it. His brain quit processing input entirely and he just stared at her. It began working again in stages. First he got up and paced around the room. She just watched. Bit by bit, the words of the conversation—at least her part of the conversation...he hadn't said much—played back in a continuous loop through his mind. _Twins?_ He got stuck on that. Looking at her from across the room, he said, "Twins?"

"That's what the doctor said."

"Twins?"

"Yes, Bobby. That's two babies in one pregnancy. The bargain deal."

"I know what twins are," he muttered.

Encouraging...it was the first complete sentence he'd managed since the conversation began. "We're going to have twins," she reiterated for him.

"We...?"

This time she couldn't help laughing. He hadn't quite gotten that far in the processing. She watched him sit down again, choosing the closest chair. "Not funny," he grumbled.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh."

She'd had a little more time to get used to this, he realized. Right now he felt shell-shocked._ Twins..._

"Bobby?"

"I...think I need to go home," he managed. It was the only thought coherent in his mind at the moment. He was going to be useless for the rest of the day anyway. "Can we go home?"

She nodded. "I already cleared it with Deakins."

"G-good."

She handed him the keys. "Wait for me in the car. I'll be right there."

He nodded, watching her leave the room. _Twins. Oh, God...

* * *

_

Eames was glad to see that Logan and Barek were back at their desks. She walked over to them. "Bobby and I are going home for the rest of the day."

"Is everything all right?" Barek asked, concerned.

"Fine. Well, maybe not with him right now." She looked toward the elevators, but he was nowhere in sight. "I hope he can find the car..."

"What happened?" Logan asked, also concerned.

"Nothing. He's just a little...overwhelmed at the moment."

Logan grinned. "What'd you do to him?"

"I just told him what the doctor told me. That's all."

"Is it serious?" Barek was still concerned.

"It depends on your perspective." She leaned closer. "I'm carrying twins," she said softly. "We'll see you guys in the morning."

In silence, they watched her leave. Barek recovered first, but all she could manage was "Twins..."

As was his tendency, Logan summed up the situation for all of them. "Holy shit."

_fin._


End file.
